Perplexity AI Faces Proposed Class-Action Suit, Accused of Secretly Sharing User Data with Meta and Google

US-based AI search startup Perplexity AI is confronting a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging it secretly embedded undetectable tracking code in its platform that routed sensitive user data to Meta and Google without consent.

April 1 2026 : According to the complaint filed in a San Francisco federal court, a user identified as John Doe claims that when users accessed Perplexity’s homepage, tracking software was downloaded onto their devices. This allegedly enabled third parties, including Meta and Google, to access and monitor conversations between users and Perplexity’s AI even when users specifically selected the search engine’s “Incognito” mode. The suit contends that the covert tracking allowed these companies to exploit personal data for their own benefit, such as tailoring ads and reselling information to additional third parties, in violation of California privacy laws. It also accuses Meta and Google of breaching both state and federal privacy and fraud statutes by receiving and using data obtained in this manner.

Perplexity AI is led by CEO Aravind Srinivas and has in recent months faced multiple legal challenges. Besides this lawsuit, the startup is defending itself in a separate case brought by Amazon, which alleges Perplexity’s automated shopping feature covertly accessed Amazon customer accounts and posed security risks. In response to the latest legal claims, a Meta spokesperson emphasized the company’s rules prohibit advertisers from sending sensitive information, while Perplexity’s representative stated that no such lawsuit as described had been formally served, questioning the accuracy of the report.

The accusations have sparked broader concerns about privacy practices among AI firms, especially regarding how user queries and conversational data may be shared with large tech companies without explicit permission.

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