Google is under fire once again for allegedly unlawfully gathering data, as reported by TechSpot. The company is now facing a class action lawsuit over claims of collecting Chrome user information without their consent. Although the lawsuit was previously dismissed in 2022, the recent decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has overturned the dismissal.
The plaintiffs allege that Google collected data from Chrome users, even when they had not enabled syncing with their Google accounts. This sync feature allows users to store data like bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history in the cloud, but it also permits Google to access this information.
Previously, Google’s defense was based on the assumption that users had consented to data collection by accepting the company’s privacy policy. However, the Court of Appeals emphasized the need to examine whether users truly understood that their data was being collected.
The recent court ruling paves the way for the continuation of the class action lawsuit, encompassing Chrome users who have not enabled sync since 2016. The plaintiffs argue that Google violated its privacy notice, which guarantees that personal data will not be accessed without synchronization enabled.
As of now, Google has not stated the lawsuit. Nevertheless, this incident highlights once again the concerns surrounding the collection and usage of user data by major technology companies.
The lawsuit emphasizes the significance of safeguarding privacy online and calls for greater transparency from tech companies in how they collect and utilize user data. It also underscores the importance for users to carefully review and comprehend the terms of service before using any online service.
