Google Agrees To Settle Chrome Incognito Mode Class Action Lawsuit (arstechnica.com) 22
Google has indicated that it is ready to settle a class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 over its Chrome browser's Incognito mode. From a report: Arising in the Northern District of California, the lawsuit accused Google of continuing to "track, collect, and identify [users'] browsing data in real time" even when they had opened a new Incognito window. The lawsuit, filed by Florida resident William Byatt and California residents Chasom Brown and Maria Nguyen, accused Google of violating wiretap laws.
It also alleged that sites using Google Analytics or Ad Manager collected information from browsers in Incognito mode, including web page content, device data, and IP address. The plaintiffs also accused Google of taking Chrome users' private browsing activity and then associating it with their already-existing user profiles. Google initially attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed by pointing to the message displayed when users turned on Chrome's incognito mode. That warning tells users that their activity "might still be visible to websites you visit."
It also alleged that sites using Google Analytics or Ad Manager collected information from browsers in Incognito mode, including web page content, device data, and IP address. The plaintiffs also accused Google of taking Chrome users' private browsing activity and then associating it with their already-existing user profiles. Google initially attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed by pointing to the message displayed when users turned on Chrome's incognito mode. That warning tells users that their activity "might still be visible to websites you visit."
Google Analytics (Score:3)
Should be permanently blacklisted by anyone running NoScript, uBlock Origin or Ghostery. In other words, by everybody.
Re:Google Analytics (Score:4, Informative)
The fundamental problem here is friggin' Chrome. The other significant browsers (Firefox, Safari) have been blocking third-party tracking by default for years now. Safari doesn't allow *any* third-party scripts to function, and it's easy enough to put Firefox in that mode as well (not to mention Firefox's superior cookie management).
That said, I do use uBlock Origin with Firefox.
Re:Google Analytics (Score:5, Interesting)
Given that Google Analytics is a Google product, I don't see much point in making a distinction between the two. Google gave users the impression that "Incognito mode" was incognito, while themselves:
a) Via Google Analytics - continuing to collect personally-identifying information about users, regardless of incognito mode
AND
b) Apparently then taking this data collected during "incognito mode"and tying it back to the user's profile !
It's one thing to say "incognito, but no guarantees - 3rd parties may still collect your browsing dala", and another for Google themselves to in fact be the ones collecting this data and then tying it back to your profile!!
Privacy (Score:5, Informative)
One multi-platform browser not only takes privacy seriously but also has no code ties to Google's ever growing web control:
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/... [mozilla.org]
Re: (Score:2)
The lack-of-popularity of Mozilla clearly demonstrates just how much most people care about their privacy.
Re: (Score:3)
Or rather, their lack of knowledge of other browsers. Between Microsoft forcing Edge on everyone and Google spamming everywhere to get Chrome, that's all people see.
By nature humans are lazy, especially Americans. If it takes effort to do something as insignificant as installing a different browser and adding an add-on to block ads/scripts, it won't be done. It's like people complaining about
Re: (Score:2)
>"The lack-of-popularity of Mozilla clearly demonstrates just how much most people care about their privacy."
It does no such thing.
Most people don't even really know (or care) what browser they are using. They are probably using it because it was either pre-installed or because they have been spammed to death by sites saying they should use it.
As people on Slashdot, WE should know better and try to help others actually make proactive decisions about what they are using and why. That lack of proactive c
Why do we even still need analytics? (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
(Webkit and Chromium have the same KHTML ancestor)
Chrome's rendering engine is Blink, and it was forked from Webkit. Webkit was itself forked from KHTML by Apple. For a few years, Google worked with Apple in developing Webkit - before deciding they wanted to go their own way.
Re: (Score:2)
> blocking still takes more resources
Slashdot is almost unique in that it doesn't load content from 2-3 Google servers.
Most sites these days seem to have google-analytics, gstatic, and googleapis, often with 2-3 additional ad servers and 2-3 tracking servers.
I wish cross-site anything had never become a thing; if you're not willing to host it on your own server, you shouldn't be telling your visitors' browsers to load it.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
>"which is independent from your browser choice."
It is only independent from your browser choice if you choose to use a Chrom* browser. And it is a choice.
>"blocking still takes more resources than if it was never used in the first place."
While that is true, on a desktop, the effort is ultra-minuscule. Firefox is prepped to block all of Google analytics and all other trackers: about:preferences#privacy and click on "Strict" instead of "Standard"
But you can't just turn off Javascript anymore, if tha
Re: (Score:2)
Well, because Google Analytics isn't just about identifying which browser is being used. It also tracks location, screen size, and device type, among other things. It also tells web site operators which pages users visit, and how they got to that page. For web site operators, this kind of information is highly valuable.
Payment for violating your privacy (Score:1)
help (Score:1)