When people use browser in incognito mode, they automatically think that they are browsing the internet privately. But the notion might have been the biggest lie of your life as there was a suit issued to Google by US users who said that even when they are privately browsing the internet, Google still manages to track them.
For those unfamiliar with the terms “Incognito Mode“, Inquirer.Net USA defined this as a private browsing mode available in most web browsers. In short, all of your internet activities such as websites visited and searches will not be retained. This is especially essential when you access the internet in public places like computer shops.
Back to the matter at hand, to address the suit, Google has come into an agreement where it will delete a vast trove of search data. This was after a proposed settlement was made in San Francisco federal court and approved by a judge on Monday.
According to a published report from Yahoo! News, Google must “delete and/or remediate billions of data records” that can be traced back to people using the Chrome browser’s incognito mode.
If the settlement will be successful, users will have the ability to block tracking cookies typically utilized for advertising purposes. Google also vowed to provide comprehensive disclosure when it comes to the extent of data retention on its users.
A lawyer added that the settlement is considered a “historic step in requiring dominant technology companies to be honest in their representations to users about how the companies collect and employ user data, and to delete and remediate data collected”.
There will be a hearing scheduled on July 30, where a judge will decide whether Google will face class-action suit or not. The settlement involves no cash damages to be paid to consumers who were affected by the actions, unlike when a previous suit was initially filed in June 2020 seeking $5 billion in damages.
However, individual consumers still have their rights intact to sue Google regarding the tracking incident. According to lawyers, Google is estimated to pay an amount of approximately billions to its consumers, although in order for it to happen, thousands of people need to bring the lawsuits against the company.
