Consumers that sued Alphabet Inc’s Google LLC over its data collection practices have already lost their early appeal to pursue money damages as a class action seeking billions of dollars.
Chrome browser users who filed a lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google LLC for its data-collecting practices have lost their early appeal that sought monetary damages in a class action suit. Back in the pandemic year 2020, the plaintiffs sued the search engine behemoth, claiming that the company continues to collect user data despite them browsing in a private tab or “Incognito” mode. The lawsuit seeks $5 billion in damages.
As per Reuters, attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that the lower court ruling in December denying the class certification on the damages “sounds the ‘death knell’ for many users’ damages claims who lack the means to individually litigate this case.”
The plaintiffs are still left with the option to revive their monetary damages in the case, when there is a final judgement. A jury trial is set for November this year.
On Wednesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected the plaintiffs’ bid to appeal a lower court decision last year that denied class-action status for money damages claims against Google.
A class action status would mean that plaintiffs could pursue large-scale claims against the tech company as a ‘group’, rather than filing individual claims for monetary damages. As per court filings, these damages would include at least “tens of millions” of browser users.
Google’s attorneys requested the circuit court not to allow an immediate appeal but to wait to hear from the party for a final order.
The tech giant did not agree to claims that it deceived anyone by breaching private data, saying its Chrome browser users consented to its data collection.
The decision signifies that plaintiffs cannot ask for any monetary damages as a class, but the lower court said that’s two other classes that can seek other reliefs from Google, including limiting certain data collection practices.
A spokesperson for Google declined to comment on Wednesday’s decision.
Although the decision is not in the favour of plaintiffs as a class, the lower court had certified two other classes that can still seek other relief from Google.
Consumers that sued Alphabet Inc’s Google LLC over its data collection practices have already lost their early appeal to pursue money damages as a class action seeking billions of dollars.
Chrome browser users who filed a lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google LLC for its data-collecting practices have lost their early appeal that sought monetary damages in a class action suit. Back in the pandemic year 2020, the plaintiffs sued the search engine behemoth, claiming that the company continues to collect user data despite them browsing in a private tab or “Incognito” mode. The lawsuit seeks $5 billion in damages.
As per Reuters, attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that the lower court ruling in December denying the class certification on the damages “sounds the ‘death knell’ for many users’ damages claims who lack the means to individually litigate this case.”
The plaintiffs are still left with the option to revive their monetary damages in the case, when there is a final judgement. A jury trial is set for November this year.
On Wednesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected the plaintiffs’ bid to appeal a lower court decision last year that denied class-action status for money damages claims against Google.
A class action status would mean that plaintiffs could pursue large-scale claims against the tech company as a ‘group’, rather than filing individual claims for monetary damages. As per court filings, these damages would include at least “tens of millions” of browser users.
Google’s attorneys requested the circuit court not to allow an immediate appeal but to wait to hear from the party for a final order.
The tech giant did not agree to claims that it deceived anyone by breaching private data, saying its Chrome browser users consented to its data collection.
The decision signifies that plaintiffs cannot ask for any monetary damages as a class, but the lower court said that’s two other classes that can seek other reliefs from Google, including limiting certain data collection practices.
A spokesperson for Google declined to comment on Wednesday’s decision.
Although the decision is not in the favour of plaintiffs as a class, the lower court had certified two other classes that can still seek other relief from Google.
