Johan Moreno reports:
Alphabet Inc.’s Google subsidiary has tentatively settled accusations of misappropriating user data, averting a potentially revealing court trial. The lawsuit originally sought $5 billion in damages, but terms of the settlement terms were not disclosed. The news was first reported by Reuters.
According to court documents, the search giant agreed to resolve claims that despite promises of privacy, it tracked the internet activity of users browsing in what they believed was an undercover mode. Consumers contended that they were shadowed by Google even while using the supposedly concealed ‘Incognito’ mode on Chrome, raising alarms over the sanctity of online privacy. The company tried to get the court to throw out the case multiple times, but failed.
The agreement, announced before a pending trial date on February 5, 2024, halts the progression of a class-action suit that sought damage payments of at least $5 billion. Terms of the settlement, brokered through a private mediation process, are not yet public, but will be revealed upon submission for court approval by the end of February 2024.
Read more at Forbes.