Google has agreed to destroy billions of data records to settle a lawsuit alleging it secretly tracked the internet activity of users who believed they were browsing privately. The terms of the settlement, filed in an Oakland federal court on Monday, await approval from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
The plaintiffs' lawyers valued the settlement at over $5 billion, potentially reaching $7.8 billion. Google will pay no damages, but individual users retain the right to sue for damages. The class action, initiated in 2020, encompasses millions of Google users who utilized private browsing since June 1, 2016.
Users claimed that Google's analytics, cookies, and apps allowed its parent company, Alphabet, to improperly monitor individuals who used Google Chrome's "Incognito" mode or other browsers' "private" browsing mode. They argued this transformed Google into an "unaccountable repository of information," divulging details about their social circles, interests, shopping behaviors, and sensitive online searches.
As part of the settlement, Google will update disclosures regarding its data collection practices in "private" browsing, a process already underway. Additionally, it will enable Incognito mode users to block third-party cookies for five years.
The plaintiffs' lawyers emphasized that this settlement will lead to reduced data collection from users' private browsing sessions and subsequently decrease Google's earnings from such data. Google spokesman Jose Castaneda expressed satisfaction with the settlement, reiterating the company's stance that it never associates data with individual users when they use Incognito mode.
David Boies, representing the plaintiffs, hailed the settlement as a landmark development in holding tech giants accountable. A preliminary settlement was reached in December, forestalling a scheduled trial in February 2024. The plaintiffs' legal team intends to pursue unspecified legal fees from Google in the future.