Security News > 2020 > July > We're suing Google for harvesting our personal info even though we opted out of Chrome sync – netizens

A handful of Chrome users have sued Google, accusing the browser maker of collecting personal information despite their decision not to sync data stored in Chrome with a Google Account.

The lawsuit [PDF], filed on Monday in a US federal district court in San Jose, California, claimed Google promises not to collect personal information from Chrome users who choose not to sync their browser data with a Google Account but does so anyway.

"Google intentionally and unlawfully causes Chrome to record and send users' personal information to Google regardless of whether a user elects to Sync or even has a Google account," the complaint stated.

Since 2016, that notice has promised, "You don't need to provide any personal information to use Chrome." And since 2019, it has said, "The personal information that Chrome stores won't be sent to Google unless you choose to store that data in your Google Account by turning on sync," with earlier versions offering variants on that wording.

"Although Google promises that Chrome users can opt out of Google surveillance by not providing any personal information to use Chrome and not synching their data, those promises are not true," the lawsuit contended.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/07/28/google_chrome_privacy_lawsuit/