Google has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed in June 2020, accusing the company of misleading users about privacy when using the “incognito” or “private” mode in web browsers. The class-action lawsuit sought at least $5 billion in damages. Google allegedly violated federal wiretap laws by tracking users’ activity through Google Analytics, even in private mode. Google attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that users were informed of potential visibility. However, the court ruled that users did not explicitly consent to the data collection, emphasizing Google’s failure to communicate this aspect. The settlement terms were not disclosed.
