A judge was “upset” by the finding that even the users browsing in private mode are tracked.
How hidden is their activity when browsing Google users in “Incognito” mode?
The Alphabet Inc. unit states that enabling stealth mode in Chrome or ‘private browsing’ in other browsers means that the company will not ‘remember your activity’. But a judge with a history of the Silicon Valley giants to address their data collection raised doubts Thursday about whether Google is as straightforward as it should be about the personal information it collects from users.
During a hearing Thursday in San Jose, California, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said she was’ upset ‘by Google’s data collection practices, as described in a lawsuit that says the company’s private browsing promises a’ fraud ‘is. The case is seeking $ 5,000 in damages for each of the millions of people whose privacy has been compromised since June 2016.
With the weight of Google’s attempt to dismiss the case, Koh said it was “unusual” that the company would take the “extra effort” to collect data if it did not use the information to create user profiles or targeted ads. to set up.
Google has over the past year become a target of antitrust lawsuits filed by government officials and federal officials – as well as businesses – accusing it of abusing its dominance in digital advertising and online searches. Koh has a deeper history with the company as an outspoken critic of his privacy policy. In one notable case, she forced Google to disclose scanning emails to set up profiles and target ads.
In this case, Google is accused of relying on pieces of code on websites that use its analytics and advertising services to scrape users’ alleged private browsing history and send copies to Google’s servers.
Google makes it appear that private browsing mode gives users more control over their data, Amanda Bonn, a lawyer representing users, told Koh. In fact, “Google says that there is basically very little you can do to prevent us from collecting your data, and that’s what you have to accept,” Bonn said.
Disclosure of the company
Google claims that every time people use Chrome’s private browsing mode, a full page notification makes it clear that other people using the device will not see their activity – but that it may still be visible below other websites they visit and their internet service provider.
Andrew Schapiro, a Google lawyer, said the company’s privacy policy “explicitly discloses” its practices. “The data collection in question is being made public,” he said.
Another Google attorney, Stephen Broome, said website owners who contract with the company to use the analytics or other services are well aware of the data collection described in the case.
Broome’s attempt to downplay the privacy issues by pointing out that the federal court system’s own website uses Google services has finally backfired.
The judge demanded an explanation “about what exactly Google does”, while expressing concern that visitors to the court’s website unknowingly disclose information to the company.
“I want a statement from Google about the information they collect on users on the court website, and what it is used for,” Koh told the company’s lawyers.
The case is Brown v. Google, 20-cv-03664, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Jose).