Google has agreed to destroy or “anonymize” records of billions of web browsing data it collects from users in private browsing “incognito mode” as part of a proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit filed Monday. .
The Verge report A settlement proposal filed in the case of brown vs googleis aimed at addressing concerns raised by Google account holders who have accused the company of illegally tracking their behavior through its private browsing feature. If approved by a federal judge in California, the settlement could apply to 136 million Google users.
Under the terms of the settlement, Google will be required to destroy or anonymize data collected in private browsing mode starting in December 2023. The company will also face greater disclosure requirements about how it collects information incognito, and will be subject to limits on its future data collection practices.
Plaintiffs in the case value the proposed settlement at $5 billion, based on the value of data stored by Google that would be forced to be destroyed and data that would be prevented from being collected in the future. “This settlement represents an important step toward ensuring true accountability and transparency from the world’s largest data collectors and improving and preserving the right to privacy on the Internet,” the settlement filing states. ” is stated.
Google spokesman Jose Castañeda said the company is “delighted to resolve this lawsuit, which we have long believed is moot.” He said Google will never associate data with users when they use Incognito mode and is prepared to delete old technical data that is not associated with an individual or used for personalization purposes. It revealed that.
As part of the agreement, Google will also make changes to how it discloses limits for its private browsing services, a process that has already begun with the company’s Chrome browser. Additionally, for the next five years, Google will allow users to block third-party cookies by default in Incognito mode, preventing external websites from tracking you during your private browsing.
The proposed settlement does not include class damages, but individuals will still be able to sue for damages in California state courts. To date, 50 such claims have already been filed.
read more Verge here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News, covering free speech and online censorship issues.
