Google Faces Class-Action Lawsuit over Alleged Data Collection in Chrome

Google has defended its practices, claiming that Chrome Sync is designed to enhance user experience across devices and is supported by clear privacy controls

Tech giant Google is set to face a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. over allegations that it collected user data through its Chrome browser without consent. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2020, was revived after a federal appeals court in California overturned a previous ruling from December 2022 that had dismissed the case.

The plaintiffs claim that even from users who had not used the Chrome sync option, Google "intentionally and unlawfully" collected sensitive data, including IP addresses, unique browser identifiers, and browsing histories. They argue that Google's actions violated various state and federal privacy laws. In its recent ruling, the appeals court criticized the district court's earlier decision, stating that it failed to properly consider whether a reasonable user would have understood Google's disclosures as granting consent for data collection. The court highlighted that the district court should have focused on the "reasonable person" standard rather than assuming "browser agnosticism" in its analysis.

Google has defended its practices, claiming that Chrome Sync is designed to enhance user experience across devices and is supported by clear privacy controls. A Google spokesperson expressed disagreement with the court's decision but remained confident that the company would prevail as the case proceeds. The case now returns to the lower court for further proceedings, where Google will continue to face scrutiny over its data collection practices.