Google agrees to destroy browsing data collected in Incognito mode

Illustration: The Verge

Google agreed to destruct oregon de-identify billions of records of web browsing information collected erstwhile users were successful its backstage browsing “Incognito mode,” according to a projected people enactment colony filed Monday.

The proposed colony successful Brown v. Google volition besides mandate greater disclosure from the institution astir however it collects accusation successful Incognito mode and enactment limits connected aboriginal information collection. If approved by a California national judge, the colony could use to 136 cardinal Google users. The 2020 lawsuit was brought by Google relationship holders who accused the institution of illegally tracking their behavior done the backstage browsing feature.

The connection is valued astatine $5 billion, according to Monday’s tribunal filing, calculated by determining the worth of information Google has stored and would beryllium forced to destruct and the information it would beryllium prevented from collecting. Google would request to code information collected successful backstage browsing mode successful December 2023 and earlier. Any information that is not outright deleted indispensable beryllium de-identified.

“This Settlement ensures existent accountability and transparency from the world’s largest information collector and marks an important measurement toward improving and upholding our close to privateness connected the Internet,” the plaintiffs wrote successful the projected colony filing.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda said successful a connection that the institution is “pleased to settee this lawsuit, which we ever believed was meritless.” Though the plaintiffs valued the projected colony astatine $5 billion, which was the magnitude they primitively sought successful damages, Castañeda said that they are “receiving zero.” The colony does not see damages for the class, though individuals tin record claims.

“We ne'er subordinate information with users erstwhile they usage Incognito mode,” Castañeda added. “We are blessed to delete aged method information that was ne'er associated with an idiosyncratic and was ne'er utilized for immoderate signifier of personalization.”

Part of the statement includes changes to however Google discloses the limits of its backstage browsing services, which the institution has already begun rolling retired connected Chrome. Google besides agreed for 5 years to fto users artifact third-party cookies by default successful Incognito mode to support Google from tracking users connected extracurricular websites portion they’re successful backstage browsing.

Individuals tin inactive record claims for damages successful California authorities court, according to the colony terms. Already, determination person been 50 claims filed.