It will also have to limit future data collection.

Not sure which news website I should be using for the link, sorry! I’m happy to change it if anyone has a better one.

Google agreed to destroy or de-identify billions of records of web browsing data collected when users were in its private browsing “Incognito mode,” according to a proposed class action settlement filed Monday.

The proposal is valued at $5 billion, according to Monday’s court filing, calculated by determining the value of data Google has stored and would be forced to destroy and the data it would be prevented from collecting. Google would need to address data collected in private browsing mode in December 2023 and earlier. Any data that is not outright deleted must be de-identified.

  • NaibofTabr@infosec.pubEnglish
    66·
    8 months ago

    Hmm, it is nice to see an outcome from a lawsuit that is practical and not just a cost-of-doing-business fine.

    But “de-identify” doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence… anonymized data can be de-anonymized pretty easily most of the time. Also have they kept accurate internal records on all the places pieces of that data have gone inside their various projects and systems? Who would be capable of verifying that it had all been deleted?

  • dmtalon@infosec.pub
    454·
    8 months ago

    why is incognito transmitting anything to anyone. Glad I switched to FF a while back.

      • billgamesh@lemmy.ml
        29·
        8 months ago

        Incognito/private are a bad name. You should pretty much use this to not save history, or to log into a site without using saves credentials and assume it’s otherwise exactly the same as a normal browser session

        • UnfortunateShort@lemmy.world
          5·
          8 months ago

          It’s not exactly the same tho. At least in Firefox there were/are still quite a few differences. Notably experimental privacy features and anti-fingerprinting measures are enabled in private windows

          • SoulKaribou@lemmy.ml
            1·
            8 months ago

            I like cookieless, but there’s also the history saving part. So… “Forgetful” “Goldfish” “Uprooted”

      • umbrella@lemmy.ml
        8·
        8 months ago

        in the case of google it seems they were collecting your data too.

        firefox doesnt do this like google, even outside incognito.

        • Gabu@lemmy.world
          8·
          8 months ago

          FireFox does collect some data, even in incorgnito, and even if you opt out of optional data collection. Last time I checked, you had to change a hidden flag (about:config) to truly stop them from collecting all data (and they could technically re-enable it in future updates).

          • umbrella@lemmy.ml
            31·
            8 months ago

            well i said they dont do it the same way. not nearly to the same extent.

            what flags do you change?

            • Gabu@lemmy.world
              3·
              8 months ago

              There are a bunch. I’ll see if I can find the exhaustive list, but you can look for it by searching “Firefox disable telemetry flags about:config” on your search engine of choice.

            • ZeroHora@lemmy.mlEnglish
              2·
              8 months ago

              I don’t know exactly what flag it is but I’ll give you a tip

              Look at the arkenfox hardened config or the Librewolf project, both enhanced Firefox privacy and change some flags.

      • Socsa@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        8 months ago

        Hojestly I never interpreted it as anything other than this. It doesn’t save cookies or history. Obviously it doesn’t actually do anything to hide telemetry.

    • No1@aussie.zone
      10·
      8 months ago

      Yep, even says in the article ‘destroy or de-identify’. So, they will summarize or transform/anonymize the data and just throw away the source.

  • Scolding0513@sh.itjust.works
    261·
    8 months ago

    not a nothing burger, but very close. de-identify means that they will absolutely not do it in an effective manner lol. sorry but this will affect very little in the longterm.

  • LWD@lemm.ee
    101·
    8 months ago

    Let me get this straight, the data is worth $5 billion to Google, but they aren’t even necessarily deleting any of it?

  • Zerush@lemmy.ml
    9·
    8 months ago

    Most people misunderstand what incognito mode means in the browser. It has nothing to do with anonymous browsing, incognito mode, the only thing it does is delete the browsing data that is saved in the browser and locally, but it does not prevent web pages and search engines from logging the activity on their servers. Extensions like SiteBleacher or Cookie Autodelete do exactly the same thing as browsing in incognito mode. If you want to browse anonymously, at least you can only do it with a VPN and certainly not using Google to search or using it’s services with an account.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    41·
    8 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    If approved by a California federal judge, the settlement could apply to 136 million Google users.

    The 2020 lawsuit was brought by Google account holders who accused the company of illegally tracking their behavior through the private browsing feature.

    Google would need to address data collected in private browsing mode in December 2023 and earlier.

    Google spokesperson José Castañeda said in a statement that the company is “pleased to settle this lawsuit, which we always believed was meritless.” Though the plaintiffs valued the proposed settlement at $5 billion, which was the amount they originally sought in damages, Castañeda said that they are “receiving zero.” The settlement does not include damages for the class, though individuals can file claims.

    Part of the agreement includes changes to how Google discloses the limits of its private browsing services, which the company has already begun rolling out on Chrome.

    Individuals can still file claims for damages in California state court, according to the settlement terms.

    The original article contains 382 words, the summary contains 161 words. Saved 58%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!