Amber Neely
A $ billion class action lawsuit has been filed, that alleges Google has been tracking users' browsing habits despite engaging Chrome's Incognito mode.
The lawsuit is seeking a minimum of five billion dollars, and would likely include "millions" of Google Chrome users. The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in San Jose, California, covers users who have used Incognito mode since June 1, 2016.
According to the complaint, Google gathers data through Google Analytics, Google Ad Manager, and other Applications and plug-ins, including smartphone apps.
The complaint, which was seen by Reuters, claimed that Google is capable of learning about users' friends, hobbies, shopping habits, and the "most intimate and potentially embarrassing things" a user searches for.
The complaint states that Google "cannot continue to engage in the covert and unauthorized data collection from virtually every American with a computer or phone."
The lawsuit is hoping to receive $5,000 in damages per user for violating federal wiretapping and California privacy laws.
A Google spokesperson has pushed back against the lawsuit, claiming that the company discloses such risks.
"[W]e clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity."
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
24 Comments
Google's Knight in Shining Armor comes to its defense right on schedule. I was going to say this article will certainly trigger @Gatorguy but he was already triggered. My bad.
To be honest I never thought Google would NOT do this. The idea that anything from Alphabet has privacy anywhere near it is ludicrous. Time and time again Google has been caught mining customer data when they said they wouldn't. Their response has always been either to promise to not do that (any more), or we never said that. I have to use Chrome at work. I don't use it at home. I don't use Google Docs. I don't use other Google Apps. Maps is infrequent and only when other sources don't have what I need.
I assume Google will always mine my data for their dossier on me whenever possible regardless of their "promises".
Is Apple’s “Private Mode” any different?
Turn Private Browsing on or off on your iPhone or iPod touch
When you use Private Browsing, you can visit websites without creating a search history in Safari.
Private Browsing protects your private information and blocks some websites from tracking your search behavior. Safari won't remember the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information.
(Emphasis mine, and should be yours)