Google faces $5bn lawsuit over tracking users information

The class-action lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Northern District of California, alleged that Google tracked and collected consumer browsing history even if users took steps to maintain their privacy, reports The New York Times.

Google also violated a California law that requires consent of all parties to read or learn the contents of private communication, alleged the lawsuit.

"Google tracks and collects consumer browsing history and other web activity data no matter what safeguards consumers undertake to protect their data privacy," the complaints said in their suit seeking compensatory damages.

The lawsuit is aiming to utilize the Federal Wiretap Act that provides users with the right to sue if their private communications are intercepted. A Google spokesperson denied the claim.

Many users think that once they are logged into Internet via Incognito Mode, their search history isn't being tracked. Incognito mode within Google's Chrome browser gives users the choice to search the internet without their activity being saved to the browser or device. But the websites visited can use tools such as Google Analytics to track the usage.

A joint study from Microsoft, Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pennsylvania last year investigated 22,484 sex websites using a tool called "webXray" revealed that 93 per cent of pages track and leak users' data to third-party organisations. (IANS)

Also watch: Evening Bulletin | 3rd June, 2020