Google has agreed to pay $5 billion to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the company violated users’ privacy by tracking their browsing activity even when using Chrome’s incognito mode. The lawsuit claimed Google misled consumers into believing that enabling incognito mode protected their privacy by preventing the company from collecting personal data about their online activities. 

However, the suit alleged that Google continued gathering information about users’ browsing histories, social connections, interests and habits – potentially including embarrassing or sensitive topics – despite having the privacy mode activated. This, the lawsuit stated, allowed Google to build extensive profiles linking people’s identities to their internet usage without properly informing them or obtaining meaningful consent.

The settlement ends a legal battle that began in 2020 when the class action suit was first filed in a California court on behalf of millions of Google users. The plaintiffs sought at least $5,000 per impacted user for contravening state privacy laws. Additionally, you can also read about- Malicious Google Play Apps Infect 330K Android Devices 

Details of the settlement have not yet been made public but should emerge in early 2023 when the formal agreement is submitted for court approval. By reaching a settlement, Google avoids a trial that risked damaging revelations about its data collection practices and the transparency around consumer controls like incognito mode.

The episode highlights ongoing questions around how tech giants handle personal information and the clarity with which they communicate privacy safeguards to users.

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