Google has agreed to settle a $5 billion
privacy lawsuit alleging it spied on people who used the “Google Chrome Incognito” mode in its Google Chrome browser — along with similar “private” modes in other browsers — to track their internet use
Google has agreed to settle a $5 billion privacy lawsuit alleging that it spied on people who used the “incognito” mode in its Chrome browser — along with similar “private” modes in other browsers — to track their internet use.
The class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 said Google misled users into believing that it wouldn’t track their internet activities while using incognito mode. It argued that Google’s advertising technologies and other techniques continued to catalog details of users’ site visits and activities despite their use of supposedly “private” browsing.
Plaintiffs also charged that Google Chrome Incognito Mode Browser activities yielded an “unaccountable trove of information” about users who thought they’d taken steps to protect their privacy.
The settlement, reached Thursday, must still be approved by a federal judge. Terms weren’t disclosed, but the suit originally sought $5 billion on behalf of users; lawyers for the plaintiffs said they expect to present the court with a final settlement agreement by Feb. 24.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement.
Who is eligible for Google’s $700 million settlement payout?
If you bought an app on Google Play or made any in-app purchase between August 2016 and September 2023, you may be owed some money.
Google (GOOG) (GOOGL) has agreed to pay $700 million and make several other concessions to settle antitrust allegations that it had been suppressing competition to its Android app store. While the tech giant agreed to the deal with state attorneys general in September, the settlement’s terms were finally unveiled in a San Francisco federal court on Monday.
Here’s everything to know about the Google settlement.
Google Chrome Incognito Mode Browser
Who is eligible to get money in the Google settlement ?
Google’s $700 million settlement includes $630 million to compensate U.S. consumers who were funneled into the company’s payment-processing system, which state attorneys general alleged drove up the prices for digital transactions.
Those eligible to get part of the $630 million must meet the following criteria:
Have a legal address in their Google payments profile. Were located in the U.S., Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands when they purchased an app from Google Play or made an in-app purchase via Google Play.Made the aforementioned purchase between August 2016 and September 2023.
The remaining $70 million of the settlement will cover penalties and other costs Google is being forced to pay individual states, court documents show.
Google Chrome Incognito victims? How do I submit a claim?
Luckily, eligible users won’t have to formally submit a claim.
According to the settlement administrator, customers will collect damages from Google through automated payments. Eligible customers will be contacted through email about the payment.
“If the eligible consumer’s email address associated with his or her Google Play account matches an email address associated with an existing PayPal or Venmo account, then the payments will be made directly to that PayPal or Venmo account,” the settlement notice read.
Those who don’t have PayPal or Venmo accounts will receive an ACH transfer or a written check.
Victims of google chrome incognito? How much money will I get?
Each eligible customer will receive a minimum of $2 as part of the settlement, court documents show. Users may also receive additional payments for an undisclosed amount in proportion to their Google Play spending between August 2016 and September 2023.
It’s unclear when the payments will be sent out to customers. Google did not respond to MarketWatch’s request for comment.
How many people does this impact?
Because Google Play has so many users, and because the settlement involves a multi-year timeframe, there are lots of people eligible for the payments. Court documents show approximately 102 million people may receive a payout.
What has Google said about the lawsuit?
“This settlement builds on Android’s choice and flexibility, maintains strong security protections, and retains Google’s ability to compete with other OS makers and invest in the Android ecosystem for users and developers,” Wilson White, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, said in a blog post on Monday. “We’re pleased to resolve our case with the states and move forward on a settlement.”
Shares of Google parent Alphabet Inc. moved around 3% higher during Wednesday afternoon’s trading, and are up roughly 58% over the last 12 months.
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