April 2, 2024 at 01:07PM
Google has agreed to delete billions of data records from 136 million Chrome users in the US, settling a lawsuit over alleged undisclosed data collection in Incognito mode. The Settlement includes changes to disclosure practices, data deletion, and measures to prevent future data accumulation. The value of the changes is estimated at $4.75 billion.
Based on the meeting notes, the key takeaways from the settlement between Google and the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit are as follows:
1. Google has agreed to delete billions of data records collected from 136 million Chrome users in the United States, specifically related to the alleged undisclosed browser data collection while in Incognito mode.
2. The settlement includes changes to Google’s disclosures regarding its data collection practices, implementing measures to prevent future accumulation of personal information, and eliminating mechanisms enabling tracking of users in Incognito mode without their knowledge.
3. Google will delete data older than nine months that was collected in December 2023 and earlier, with the process required to finish within 275 days of the Settlement’s approval.
4. The Settlement also involves relief for Google’s past collection of private browsing data through data deletion and remediation.
5. Google’s new and revised disclosures, rolled out after both parties signed the Term Sheet on December 22, 2023, already apply to data collected after December 2023.
6. The changes imposed on Google due to the proposed Settlement have an estimated value of at least $4.75 billion, according to the plaintiffs.
7. Google’s spokesperson has stated that the settlement is happy to resolve the lawsuit and emphasizes that they never associate data with users when they use Incognito mode.
It’s important to note that the Settlement is still subject to review and approval by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California on July 30, 2024, and that the right of class members to pursue individual damages claims has been preserved.