TL;DR
A proposed class action filed in the US alleges Perplexity’s AI search engine shares user conversations with Google and Meta through ad trackers, including when users enable incognito mode. The lawsuit claims personally identifiable information is transmitted alongside chat logs.
What the lawsuit alleges
An anonymous user, John Doe, filed a proposed class action on Tuesday accusing Perplexity of secretly embedding ad trackers from Google and Meta into its AI search platform. According to the complaint, opening prompts are shared by default, and follow-up questions users click on are also transmitted to the two tech giants.
Non-subscribed users face worse exposure, the lawsuit claims. Their initial prompts are shared with a URL that allows third parties to access the entire conversation. Paid subscribers using Perplexity’s incognito feature fare no better — the complaint alleges their conversations were still shared along with email addresses and other identifiers.
The complaint describes the ad trackers as “browser-based wiretap technology” and accuses all three companies of prioritising profits over privacy rights. It alleges violations of both state and federal laws, claiming Perplexity never disclosed its use of the tracking technology.
What this means for UK users
The lawsuit is US-based, but it raises questions relevant to anyone using AI search tools. Under the UK’s data protection framework, sharing personally identifiable information with third parties without explicit consent would face scrutiny from the ICO. AI search engines are increasingly positioned as private alternatives to traditional search, making the gap between marketing and practice particularly notable.
Looking forward
The case targets Perplexity, Google, and Meta jointly. If the class action proceeds, it could set a precedent for how AI search platforms handle user data and what “incognito” actually means in the context of AI-powered tools. For now, users should treat AI search privacy claims with the same scepticism they apply to any other tech product.