Bad news: Google apparently stores Chrome's incognito browsing data.
Good news. They finally agreed to remove it.
In court documents filed on Monday (April 1) and spotted by BGR, Google has announced that it will be closing in on a nearly four-year-old class action lawsuit challenging Google's private browsing (also known as “incognito mode”) data collection policies. agreed to settle.
The original lawsuit says, “No matter what safeguards consumers take to protect their data privacy, Google will track and collect consumers' browsing history and other web activity data…even if… Even if a Google user starts their web browser with “private browsing mode” enabled… Google will still track their browsing data and other identifying information. ”
Google did not completely deny this claim, and in 2020 it said that while data in Incognito Browsing Mode is not stored locally, “websites may be able to collect information about your browsing activity during a session.” Stated.
Now, the search giants have at least agreed in principle to some adjustments in their messaging, data collection and storage practices. But this class action lawsuit may leave people disappointed if they were expecting a small check to arrive at their door. Although the filing states that “financial claims are not waived,” individuals retain the right to sue Google for damages.
Among the changes Google will agree to when it appears before a judge on July 30th are:
- Delete or repair all collected data
- Rewrite incognito browser disclosure
- Google should add an incognito mode feature that blocks third-party cookies by default for at least the next five years.
- Google needs to remove the private browsing detection bit.
While this is probably good news and a big problem (Chrome currently commands more than 65% of the browser market share), the fact that incognito browsing never had the expected results does make some users It may be worrying for some.
No one currently determines what you're viewing in Incognito, but anything you see while browsing in Incognito is either undetectable or in some way “unseen.” A good guideline would be to avoid thinking that the
Random people or Google employees aren't looking at your browser history. Instead, Google is doing what it has always done, acting as a data intermediary that enables ad targeting and continuity of the browsing experience through Google or its partners. We use cookies to ensure that what you see on subsequent pages reflects what you saw on a previous page.
The filing notes that Google has already implemented some of these changes, but it's not clear whether the secret splash page message has been changed.
At the top, you'll be notified that other people using the same device won't see your browsing history, and that Chrome won't save your browser history, cookies, or form information in this mode. However, be aware that your activity may also be visible to the sites you visit, anyone managing your account (your school or employer), and your ISP.
It's unclear whether Google's planned changes will affect that.
As for how Google feels about all of this, the settlement states: “Google supports final approval of the settlement, but disagrees with the legal and factual features contained in the motion.” .