Google’s long-standing legal tussle with users over Incognito mode privacy reached a preliminary settlement after nearly four years. The settlement, disclosed in a California federal court update, follows mediation resulting in a binding term sheet. This agreement awaits presentation to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers within 60 days. The resolution comes despite Google’s previous attempts to exclude evidence and a failed summary judgment request in August, denying claims of deceptive user privacy in Incognito mode.
Plaintiffs accused Google of misleading users about Incognito mode’s privacy, asserting that Google secretly tracked and collected browsing data despite users activating private browsing. Judge Gonzalez Rogers highlighted disputes about Google’s assurances of limited data collection, signaling a potential breach of enforceable promises.
The lawsuit referenced Google’s use of various tools, including Google Analytics and Google Ad Manager, to track browsing activity, allegedly undermining Incognito mode’s confidentiality. While Google refrained from commenting on the recent settlement, it had previously defended Incognito mode, stating it allows browsing without data being saved to the device but clarifying that websites might collect browsing data.
The plaintiffs’ lawsuit claimed Google’s extensive tracking violated users’ privacy, accumulating intricate details about their habits, contradicting the promised privacy of the Incognito mode.
