• Home
  • Internet
  • Internet News
  • Google Chrome Incognito Mode Users Lose Appeal to Pursue $5 Billion in Damages Over Data Collection

Google Chrome Incognito Mode Users Lose Appeal to Pursue $5 Billion in Damages Over Data Collection

Plaintiffs claim that Google continued to collect data from users despite their use of private-browsing in Chrome's "Incognito" mode.

Google Chrome Incognito Mode Users Lose Appeal to Pursue $5 Billion in Damages Over Data Collection

Photo Credit: Reuters

Google has been sued over collecting users' data even in private browsing mode

Highlights
  • Plaintiffs sued Google in 2020
  • The lawsuit seeks at least $5 billion in damages
  • A jury trial is set for November
Advertisement

Consumers suing Alphabet Inc's Google LLC over its data collection practices have lost their early appeal to pursue money damages as a class action seeking billions of dollars. Plaintiffs sued Google in 2020, claiming that Google continued to collect data from users despite their use of private browsing in Chrome's "Incognito" mode. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 billion in damages.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Wednesday rejected the plaintiffs' bid to appeal a lower court decision last year that denied class-action status for money damages claims against Google.

The plaintiffs had sought an appeals court hearing on the issue mid-case and can still seek to revive their money damages claims when there is a final judgment. A jury trial is set for November.

The class-action status would mean the plaintiffs could pursue large-scale claims against Google as a group, as opposed to filing individual claims for monetary damages. The damages class would include at least "tens of millions" of Google browser users, court filings indicate.

The plaintiffs, whose lawyers include veteran litigator David Boies of Boies Schiller Flexner, had argued in the 9th Circuit that the lower court ruling in December denying class certification on damages "sounds the 'death knell' for many users' damages claims who lack the means to individually litigate this case."

Google's attorneys at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan had asked the 9th Circuit not to allow the immediate appeal and instead wait to hear from the parties after a final order.

Google has denied that it deceived anyone over private browsing, saying its Chrome browser users consented to the company's data collection.

A spokesperson for Google declined to comment on Wednesday's decision.

Although the decision means the plaintiffs cannot seek monetary damages as a class, the lower court had certified two other classes that can seek other relief from Google, including curbing certain data collection practices.

Boies and another plaintiffs' lawyer did not immediately respond to a message on Thursday seeking comment.

The case is Brown et al v. Google LLC, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-80147.

For plaintiffs: David Boies and Mark Mao of Boies Schiller Flexner; Bill Carmody of Susman Godfrey; and John Yanchunis of Morgan & Morgan

For defendant: Andrew Schapiro, Diane Doolittle and Stephen Broome of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan

© Thomson Reuters 2023


Are the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro the best in their segment? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Google, Incognito Mode, Google Chrome
Infinix To Announce 260W Thunder Charge Charging System on March 9: Report
Bitcoin Drops to $22,000 Mark, Most Altcoins Lose Steam Amid Silvergate Chaos
Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat LinkedIn Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News

Advertisement

Follow Us
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »