Was Incognito Mode a joke? Google in trouble for storing users’ data: Report

Updated on 03-Apr-2024
HIGHLIGHTS

A lawsuit named Brown v. Google accuses Google of giving vague information to its users about the incognito feature.

The settlement against the Brown v. Google lawsuit will ask Google to destroy or de-identify the web browsing data.

Speaking of these acquisitions, Google has denied these claims.

Are you someone who prefers using the “Incognito Mode” on Google? Well, there’s some shocking news that has come forward. Google has collected data from users using the incognito mode on the search giant. A lawsuit claims that this is pretty misleading on Google’s part as users were not made aware of the extent to which their data can be captured while surfing incognito.

Now, a lawsuit named Brown v. Google has been ongoing since 2020. It accuses Google of giving vague information to its users about the incognito feature and that the data that has been accessed was taken under misleading terms. A settlement has been proposed now. If the settlement is accepted, Google might have to erase the private data of millions of users.

Also read: Google Chrome will now offer more helpful search suggestions, gets 3 new features

Does Google have to remove Incognito Mode?

The settlement against the Brown v. Google lawsuit, if passed, will ask Google to destroy or de-identify the web browsing data that it has collected from users when in incognito mode. The tech giant will have to do away with billions of records while ensuring that the permanent data is not linked to individual users. The proposal was filed in a California federal court on Monday

Speaking of these acquisitions, Google has denied these claims and said that internet service providers (ISPs) and employers have always had the potential to view and collect data from users’ Chrome browser history, even when they are using the Incognito Mode.

Also read: Google Chrome getting new look for its 15th birthday: Check new updates

The proposal, if accepted, will benefit approximately 136 million Google users. The tech giant will have to delete or anonymize the data it has collected from users in incognito mode up to December 2023.

In addition to this, Google will also have to default to block the third-party cookies in Incognito mode. This will prevent user tracking.

This lawsuit serves as a reminder to us that we are being tracked on the internet, even in “Incognito Mode” and we should be very safe.

Mustafa Khan

Mustafa is new on the block and is a tech geek who is currently working with Digit as a News Writer. He tests the new gadgets that come on board and writes for the news desk. He has found his way with words and you can count on him when in need of tech advice. No judgement. He is based out of Delhi, he’s your person for good photos, good food recommendations, and to know about anything GenZ.

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