Urgent Google warning for ALL Chrome users over huge ‘privacy failure’
GOOGLE has been accused of "deceptively" collecting data from people using Chrome's private browsing mode.
The tech giant is facing a privacy lawsuit for allegedly failing to make Incognito as anonymous as users may think.
Incognito mode is designed to save less information about what you get up to online, meaning things like history and cookies don't get saved like they usually do.
But according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Google has "misled" people into believe they have "meaningful control" over data collection when private browsing.
He says the Chrome option is used by people who believe it offers privacy for things like "viewing highly personal websites that might indicate, for example, their medical history, political persuasion, or sexual orientation".
"Or maybe they simply want to buy a surprise gift without the gift recipient being tipped off by a barrage of targeted ads," the amended lawsuit goes on.
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"In reality, Google deceptively collects an array of personal data even when a user has engaged Incognito mode."
Google owner Alphabet has denied the claims, saying the filing is "based on inaccurate claims and outdated assertions about our settings".
"We have always built privacy features into our products and provided robust controls for location data," a rep said.
"We strongly dispute these claims and will vigorously defend ourselves to set the record straight."
The case comes as Texas, Indiana, Washington State and the District of Columbia filed separate suits against Google in January in state courts, over what they called deceptive location-tracking practices that invade users' privacy.
Meanwhile in Arizona, a judge ruled allegations Google deceived users with unclear smartphone location tracking settings should be weighed by a jury.
This is General Paxton’s fifth lawsuit against Google.
His latest amended petition adds Incognito mode to a previous geolocation-related lawsuit against the firm.
"The Big Tech giant is still hard at work collecting and monetising the location and other personal information that users seek to keep private," he said.
"I am not going to let Google succeed in deceiving Texans."
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