Google faces $5bn lawsuit for failing to keep privacy in Chrome ‘Incognito’ mode

*A class action lawsuit seeking at least $5billion in damages accuses tech giant Google of failure to keep activities private while in the private browsing mode on the Net

*Google intends to defend itself ‘vigorously’ in the lawsuit, says company’s spokesperson

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Global tech giant Google is facing a $5billion lawsuit over complaints that its Chrome browser still tracks users when even they are using incognito mode on the Internet.

Plaintiffs have complained that Google allows Web sites visited on Chrome to collect personal information while incognito mode is active, agency report said.

The complaint, originally filed June 2020, claims that Google “cannot continue to engage in the covert and unauthorised data collection from virtually every American with a computer or phone.”

It stated: “Google knows who your friends are, what your hobbies are, what you like to eat, what movies you watch, where and when you like to shop, what your favourite vacation destinations are, what your favourite colour is, and even the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things you browse on the Internet — regardless of whether you follow Google’s advice to keep your activities ‘private.”

A Federal judge Friday, March 12 denied Alphabet’s motion to have the case tossed out, ruling that “Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode.”

The class action lawsuit is seeking damages of at least $5 billion.

In a court filing, Google, however, contended that it makes users aware “that ‘Incognito’ does not mean ‘invisible,’ and that the user’s activity during that session may be visible to Web sites they visit, and any third-party analytics or ads services the visited Web sites use.”

A company spokesperson said Google intends to defend itself “vigorously” in the lawsuit.

The company stated: “As we clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session.”

Upon activating Incognito mode, Chrome does notify users that the browser will not save their browsing information or data.

However, it states that a user’s activity may still be visible to Web sites, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and network managers.