In a landmark settlement with a federal court in San Francisco, Google has agreed to delete billions of search data records associated with people using the Incognito mode in the Chrome browser. The proposed settlement, if approved by a judge, would require Google to take action to delete and remediate such data, as part of an effort to hold dominant technology companies accountable for being honest with users about how they collect and use data.
Attorney David Boies hailed the settlement as a historic step in holding tech giants like Google accountable for their actions. A hearing is scheduled for July 30 before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to determine whether the settlement should be approved, potentially saving Google from a trial in the class action lawsuit.
Although the settlement does not include monetary damages, it allows Chrome users who feel wronged by Google’s alleged tracking of their online activity to pursue separate legal action against the company. Google spokesperson Jorge Castaneda expressed satisfaction with resolving the lawsuit, maintaining that the company always believed the claims were baseless. However, he also acknowledged that user privacy was a top priority for Google and that this settlement would help enhance that privacy by blocking third-party tracking cookies in Incognito mode for the next five years.
