Google Agrees to Deleting Data Collected from Incognito Mode to Settle a Privacy Lawsuit

• A lawsuit filed against Google in 2020 finally concluded this Monday when the tech giant agreed to all the terms, including deleting the data it collected from Incognito mode
• The plaintiffs aren't receiving the $5 billion they claimed in damages yet but are welcome to file individual cases for monetary compensation
• Google said that it is glad the lawsuit is over and clarified that the data was never associated with any individual users, it was only for technical use

A recent privacy lawsuit revealed that Google has been recording billions of data from searches in Incognito mode. Hence, to settle the case, the company has agreed to delete it all. The Incognito mode is specially used for private browsing and tracking user activity there is a new low, even for Google.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2020 and represented the millions of users who have been using the Incognito mode since 2016. It accused the company of lying about its data collection practices from private browsing sessions.

Although users were given the option to turn off data tracking in Incognito mode, other Google tools, like its advertising unit, would get a copy of the data anyway.

Google has accepted all the charges and agreed to settle the lawsuit last year in December. However, it took some time for the settlement terms to be decided, which were released on the Monday filing.

Recently, Google was slammed with a fine of 250 million Euros by French competition watchdog for not fairly compensating French news publishers.

What Else Does the Settlement Consist Of?

Deleting the users' data is just part of the settlement, there are a few other terms Google has to follow:

• For the next 5 years, Google needs to allow Incognito users to block third-party cookies.
• It will also have to update its disclosure policy to explain to the users how their data is being collected/used and which activities are visible to the website when they are browsing in incognito mode.

Speaking of monetary compensation, the plaintiffs did ask for $5 billion in damages, but for some reason, it didn't go through. Instead, the court has encouraged individuals to pursue a separate case against the company seeking monetary compensation.

50 plaintiffs have already filed for compensation.

Although the plaintiffs have not received any financial compensation so far, Google will probably have to take care of their legal expenses. Plus, deleting the above-mentioned billions of data is a huge financial blow for Google since its advertising business depends on it.

David Boies, the attorney who represented the plaintiffs, called this a historic win and an important step in holding large tech companies accountable for their actions. He believes that it's the fundamental right of all users to know how their personal data is being tracked, used, and shared.

What Does Google Have to Say about the Settlement?

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in a statement We are pleased to settle this lawsuit, which we always believed was meritless."

Jose further explained that the data they collected from the Incognito mode was purely for technical reasons. They never personalized the data or associated it with individual users.Google's Legal Conundrums

2024 is unofficially labeled the busiest year for Google in courts. The company has landed itself in a string of lawsuits both from individuals and US states.

For example, the U.S. Justice Department and a group of state attorneys have filed a joint lawsuit against the company accusing it of breaking antitrust regulations and monopolizing the digital advertising market through unethical practices. The trial will be held in September.

Furthermore, Google faces a class action lawsuit for allegedly knowing and benefitting from gift card scams. In a separate lawsuit, it has also been accused of monopolizing the online search market. A US judge in Washington is set to hear the closing arguments from both sides this May.

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