Technology
Use the Incognito mode of Google Chrome? You can qualify for 5K$
You may be familiar with the Incognito mode if you are an avid Google Chrome user, allowing you to browse in private.
And in the past four years, if you have used this particular mode, you could eventually receive a high amount of $5,000 according to the class action lawsuit that was proposed.
Google is charged with invading privacy, even if browsers are set to 'private' mode, and tracking Internet usage. The complaint was filed in the United States The Northern District Court of California alleges that the tech giant infringed on telephone tapping and privacy legislation.
Google displays a message that you can "privately scan" and confirms that other people who use your device can not see your browsing activity when you open Incognito in Chrome. Although this message says you will save downloads and bookmarks, your browsing history, cookies, site information and form inputs won't be saved.
"Google tracks and collects history of consumers' browsing and other web activities regardless of what safeguards the data protection consumers undertake," reads the complaint.
Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., are seeking at least $5 billion in the lawsuit.
Google Speaker Jose Castaneda said the Mountain View company, which is based in California, disputes the claims and plans to strongly defend against them.
Castaneda said in an e-mailed statement that "Incognito mode in Chrome lets you browse the Internet without your activity being saved to your browser or device." "Web sites could collect information on your browsing activity during your session when you open a new Incognito tab each time we open it."
The complaint states that Google collects data on individuals, including smartphone apps, via Google Analytics , Google Ad Manager and other apps, and website plug-ins.
This information helps Google learn more about friends, hobbies and shopping habits of a particular user – and even the "most intimate and possibly embarrassing things" you are looking for in the browser, the complaint says.
Google "can not continue to collect information on almost every American with a computer or phone, both secret and unauthorized," added the complaint.
