Perplexity’s ‘incognito mode’ is a sham, lawsuit alleges: Is your private AI data leaking to Google?

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It’s becoming a common headline: another week, another massive lawsuit against an AI giant. But the latest legal battle facing Perplexity AI hits closer to home for anyone who values their privacy.

A new proposed class-action lawsuit, filed by a user in Utah, claims that Perplexity hasn’t just been “tracking” users— it’s been surreptitiously funneling their most intimate conversations directly to Meta and Alphabet’s Google.

The ‘incognito’ illusion

The most damning allegation in the suit? That Perplexity’s Incognito mode—the feature users trust to keep their searches off the record—doesn’t actually stop the data flow.

According to the complaint, as soon as a user lands on Perplexity’s homepage, “undetectable” tracking software is downloaded to their device. This allows Meta and Google to “intercept” full transcripts of AI conversations, even when the user has explicitly opted for privacy. For the Utah plaintiff (identified as John Doe), this allegedly included sensitive details about his family finances, tax obligations and personal investment strategies.

Alleged misuse of sensitive user information

The anonymous plaintiff, identified as “John Doe,” outlines his claims in a 140-page complaint, alleging that hidden trackers were used to send full transcripts of user conversations to Meta and…