Perplexity AI sued over alleged data sharing with Meta, Google
What's the story
Perplexity, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) search platform, has been slapped with a proposed class-action lawsuit in the US. The complaint alleges that the company secretly shared its users' personal data with tech giants Meta and Google without their consent. The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in a federal court in San Francisco, according to Bloomberg.
Tracking concerns
Allegations of hidden tracking mechanisms
The lawsuit alleges that Perplexity AI used hidden tracking mechanisms to let third parties access sensitive user interactions. This, the plaintiffs argue, could be a violation of California's privacy laws. The complaint further claims that as soon as users land on Perplexity's homepage, these tracking tools are installed on their devices without their knowledge or consent.
Privacy breach
Privacy concerns raised over AI search platform
The lawsuit also claims that these hidden trackers allow Meta and Google to monitor conversations between users and the AI-powered search engine. This allegation raises serious questions about user privacy on the platform. The plaintiffs argue that this practice not only violates individual privacy rights but also undermines trust in Perplexity AI as a service provider.