Many internet users choose to browse in incognito mode or private mode to avoid tracking. For many, Google Chrome’s Incognito mode is the preferred private browser. Incognito mode ensures that cookies, data, and search history are not saved. This means that others using the same device cannot see any browsing activity. However, Google allegedly collected information on users’ browsing even when they believed that they were browsing privately in incognito mode. Because of this, Google was sued for violating federal privacy laws.
If your online privacy was violated, you might have the right to file a lawsuit. You could even be eligible to recover compensation. For more information about the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team as soon as possible. Our experts here at the Normandie Law Firm are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to pursue your claim.
About the Recent Lawsuit
Google has agreed to destroy billions of private browsing records in a settlement. The lawsuit claims that the company tracked the internet use of users who thought they were browsing privately (specifically through the Chrome’s incognito mode). Allegedly, Google’s analytics, cookies, and apps allow Alphabet, Inc. (Google’s parent company) to track people even when incognito mode and other private browsing modes are on. According to the lawsuit, this turned Google into an “unaccountable trove of information”
In addition to having to delete private browsing records, the settlement includes Google having to update disclosures about information it is collecting during private browsing, it will also have an option to allow users to block all third-party cookies for five years. The lawsuit is estimated to have a value between $5 billion and $7.8 billion, although users will not be getting any payout.
Can Users Recover Compensation?
The class action lawsuit against Google will not be paying out clients. Instead, each individual user will need to file their own claims against Google. Reportedly, approximately 50 people have already filed these claims. Because this situation is very new, these lawsuits will be the first of their kind. It is unclear how long the legal process will take or even how much compensation, if any, claimants will be awarded. Although only 50 lawsuits have been filed out of countless affected users, these lawsuits will essentially set the precedent. These lawsuits could ultimately result in users recovering compensation for lost income, pain and suffering, punitive damages, and legal fees, for example. Of course, each lawsuit is different, and the compensation available for recovery will be based on the facts surrounding each case.
A Summary of California Law Related to Internet Privacy
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) gives internet users control over the personal information that businesses may collect about them. This law gives internet users in California the right to know, the right to delete, the right to opt-out, and the right to non-discrimination. What does this all mean? Under the CCPA, consumers have the right to know about all the personal information that businesses collect about them as well as how this information is used and shared. They also have the right to delete personal information collected by these businesses (with exceptions) and the right to opt-out of their information being sold or shared. Users also have the right to non-discrimination for exercising their rights under the CCPA. As of January 2023, consumers also have the right to correct any inaccurate personal information and the right to limit how sensitive personal information is used and disclosed.
Does Google need to comply with CCPA? Yes, because Google meets the guidelines established by the law (specifically, related to revenue and the volume of data processed), Google is subject to CCPA. Because of this, data collection of incognito browsing can be considered unlawful.
Can I Sue?
You could have the right to file a lawsuit if your personal information was unlawfully collected. For more information about the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to the lawyers here at our law firm at your earliest convenience. Our team is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and hold these internet companies, like Google, accountable for their actions.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
If you are interested in exploring the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team at your earliest convenience. Here at our law firm, our experts are fully committed to representing our clients and helping them get justice. Our team has decades of experience and is ready to help you with your claim. We are committed to remaining accessible for all, so we offer free legal services, specifically free case evaluations. These include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns, making sure that you have access to all the information that you need to either start or continue your claim. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact us today.
Our team offers a Zero-Fee Guarantee, meaning that our clients will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, our team works on a strict contingency structure, so our clients will not be responsible for paying legal costs if their claims are not successful. If you do not win, you simply will not pay anything.
If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you, contact us today.
