Order Google to thoroughly delete billions of files containing the personal data of Chrome users.

Google has agreed to purge billions of records containing personal information collected from more than 136 million users of its Chrome web browser in the US. This extensive cleanup comes as part of a settlement resulting from a lawsuit accusing the search giant of illegal surveillance.

The specifics of the agreement were revealed in a court filing on Monday, following more than three months of negotiations between Google and the attorneys handling the class-action case. The lawsuit, initiated in June 2020, targeted Chrome’s privacy controls, alleging that Google tracked users’ internet activity even when they activated the “Incognito” setting, designed to protect their privacy from the California-based company’s surveillance.

Google initially contested the lawsuit, but US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers declined to dismiss the case in August, paving the way for a potential trial. Subsequently, the settlement was reached over the next four months, with the terms disclosed on Monday. However, the agreement still requires approval from Judge Rogers, which is expected to take place during a hearing scheduled for July 30 in a federal court in Oakland, California.