Google Pays $5B to Settle Lawsuit Over Incognito Mode Privacy Breach

Google has agreed to a preliminary settlement in a lawsuit that accused the company of secretly tracking users' internet activity even when they were in "incognito" or private browsing modes. The lawsuit, which sought at least $5 billion in damages, was put on hold by a US district judge after the settlement was announced. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but a formal settlement is expected to be presented for court approval by February 24, 2024. The case, filed in 2020, involved claims that Google's tools allowed the company to collect data on users' personal interests and activities despite privacy settings intended to prevent such tracking.