"Google Settles Privacy Lawsuit by Deleting Billions of Incognito Mode Browsing Records"

Google has agreed to delete billions of browsing records as part of a settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging that the company tracked users' internet activity without their consent while using "incognito" mode in its Chrome browser. The settlement, pending court approval, requires Google to purge private browsing data and make it less identifiable, block third-party cookies in Incognito Mode for five years, and update the language around Incognito Mode to clarify its limitations. The lawsuit revealed internal discussions within Google criticizing the mode as a "confusing mess" and a "problem of professional ethics and basic honesty." Additionally, Google has implemented new requirements for email senders to combat spam and phishing attacks in Gmail.