By Storyboard18
Publication Date: 2026-04-01 06:38:00
Perplexity AI has been hit with a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the startup of surreptitiously sharing sensitive user data with Meta Platforms and Google, with the complaint alleging that the AI search engine’s actions violate California privacy laws, according to a report by Bloomberg.
According to the report, the complaint was filed by a Utah man identified only as John Doe, who is seeking to represent a broader class of Perplexity users, and claims that as soon as users log into Perplexity’s home page, trackers are downloaded onto their devices, giving Meta and Google access to conversations between users and the platform’s AI system, the filing states.
The lawsuit further alleges that users’ personal data is transmitted to Meta and Google even when they opt for Perplexity’s Incognito mode, with the complaint stating that such backdoor access allows the companies to exploit sensitive data for their own benefit, including targeting individuals with advertising and reselling data to additional third parties, as per the filing cited by Bloomberg.
The complaint also accuses Perplexity of embedding ‘undetectable’ tracking software into its search engine code, which automatically transmits users’ conversations to Meta, Google and other third parties, while also naming Meta and Google as defendants for allegedly violating federal and state privacy and fraud laws, according to reports.
As per the filing, the plaintiff shared highly sensitive information…