Google settles $5 billion lawsuit claiming ‘incognito’ mode was not private

Google has tentatively settled a $5 billion lawsuit accusing the tech giant of secretly tracking the internet activities of millions of users who believed its Chrome browser protected their privacy while in “incognito” mode, according to court documents. The class action lawsuit, scheduled for a February 2024 trial, was temporarily halted by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers after a preliminary settlement was reached between Google and the consumers’ lawyers. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2020, claimed that users in “incognito” mode were misled by Google’s Chrome browser, thinking their searches and viewing history were untraceable. However, legal representatives for the plaintiffs cited internal emails among Google executives, claiming that the company was able to monitor its customers in “Incognito” mode through its analytics and other tools, leading to the creation of an “unaccountable trove of information.” Although the specific terms of the settlement were not revealed, the attorneys stated that they had reached a binding term sheet through mediation. A formal settlement proposal is expected to be submitted for court approval by February 24.