Perplexity AI Sued for Sharing User Data With Meta and Google
Perplexity AI, the popular AI-powered search engine, is facing a class-action lawsuit accusing it of secretly sharing personal user data with Meta (Facebook) and Google. The complaint was filed on April 1, 2026 in federal court in San Francisco, and it raises serious questions about what happens to the information you share with AI chatbots on your home network.
Here is a plain-language breakdown of the lawsuit, what it means for everyday users, and what you can do to protect your privacy.
Key Takeaways
- A class-action lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court alleges that Perplexity AI embedded hidden trackers on its website that gave Meta and Google access to users' private conversations with its AI search engine.
- The complaint claims user data was shared even when users enabled Perplexity's "Incognito" mode, and that the tracking software was described as "undetectable" within the site's code.
- This lawsuit is part of a broader pattern of legal trouble for Perplexity, which recently lost a separate court battle with Amazon over its Comet AI browser accessing Amazon accounts without authorization.
What Happened
According to the complaint, hidden tracking tools are downloaded onto users' devices the moment they log into Perplexity's homepage. These trackers allegedly gave Meta and Google full access to conversations between users and Perplexity's AI search engine. The lawsuit claims this data was then used for targeted advertising and potentially resold to other third parties.
The lawsuit was filed by a Utah man, listed as John Doe, who says he shared sensitive personal information with Perplexity's chatbot. This included details about household finances, tax obligations, and investment strategies. He is seeking to represent a broader class of Perplexity users who may have been affected.
The complaint also alleges that user data was shared even when users turned on Perplexity's "Incognito" mode, a feature that implies added privacy protections.
What Are the Trackers Doing?
If you are not familiar with web trackers, here is the short version. Trackers are small pieces of code embedded in a website. They monitor your activity and can send data about what you do back to third parties like advertisers. Many websites use some form of tracking. What makes this lawsuit notable is the allegation that Perplexity's trackers went further, reportedly transmitting the actual content of private AI conversations to Meta and Google.
For anyone who has used an AI chatbot to ask about personal topics like health, finances, or family matters, this kind of data exposure is a significant concern.
How Perplexity and Meta Have Responded
Perplexity spokesperson Jesse Dwyer told Bloomberg that the company has not been formally served with the lawsuit and cannot verify its claims. A Meta spokesperson pointed to a Facebook help page that states it is against company policy for advertisers to send sensitive user information to Meta. Google has not publicly commented on the allegations.
This Is Not Perplexity's Only Legal Problem
This data-sharing lawsuit comes on the heels of another legal defeat for Perplexity. In March 2026, a federal judge granted Amazon a preliminary injunction blocking Perplexity's Comet AI browser from accessing Amazon's website. Amazon argued that Comet disguised itself as a regular Chrome browser session to bypass security measures, access password-protected customer accounts, and make purchases without Amazon's authorization. The court agreed, finding that Amazon provided strong evidence that Perplexity violated federal and state computer fraud laws.
Taken together, these cases paint a picture of an AI company facing mounting scrutiny over how it handles user data and interacts with other platforms.
Why This Matters for Your Home Network
If you use AI tools at home, whether it is Perplexity, ChatGPT, or any other chatbot, the data you enter travels across your home network and out to the internet. If those AI services are embedding hidden trackers or sharing your conversations with third parties, your personal information could be exposed in ways you did not agree to.
This is especially relevant if you have taken steps to secure your home network with a VPN, a router with built-in firewall features, or DNS-level content filtering. Those tools can help block known trackers and limit data leakage, but they only work if you know the threat exists in the first place.
Simple Steps to Protect Yourself
Here are a few practical things you can do right now.
Use a privacy-focused DNS service. Services like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or NextDNS can block many known advertising trackers at the network level before they ever reach your device.
Use a browser with built-in tracker blocking. Browsers like Brave or Firefox with Enhanced Tracking Protection enabled can block many third-party trackers automatically.
Think before you type. Treat AI chatbots the same way you would treat a public conversation. Do not share sensitive financial, medical, or personal information unless you are confident in the platform's privacy practices.
Check your router's security features. Many modern routers and mesh systems include built-in security suites that can flag suspicious outbound connections. If your router supports it, turn those features on.
Review privacy policies. Before using any AI tool, check what the service says about data collection and third-party sharing. If the policy is vague or difficult to find, that is a red flag.
What Happens Next
The lawsuit is still in its early stages. If the case is certified as a class action, additional plaintiffs could join. The outcome could set an important precedent for how AI companies are required to handle and disclose user data tracking.
For now, this case is a reminder that the AI tools running on your home network are not automatically private, even when they claim to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Perplexity AI lawsuit about?
A class-action lawsuit filed in April 2026 accuses Perplexity AI of secretly sharing users' private chat data with Meta and Google through hidden tracking software embedded in its website. The complaint alleges this violated California privacy laws.
Did Perplexity share data even in Incognito mode?
According to the lawsuit, yes. The complaint alleges that Perplexity's trackers transmitted user conversation data to Meta and Google even when users had enabled the platform's Incognito mode feature.
What kind of data was allegedly shared?
The plaintiff claims he shared sensitive personal information with the Perplexity chatbot, including household financial details, tax information, and investment strategies. The lawsuit alleges this data was accessible to Meta and Google through embedded trackers.
How can I block AI trackers on my home network?
You can use a privacy-focused DNS provider like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or NextDNS to block known trackers at the network level. Using a browser with built-in tracking protection, such as Brave or Firefox, also helps. Many modern routers include security features that can flag suspicious data activity.
Is Perplexity AI safe to use?
Perplexity denies the allegations in the lawsuit and says it does not share user data with Meta or Google. However, until the case is resolved, users should exercise caution and avoid sharing sensitive personal information with any AI chatbot.
What happened with Perplexity and Amazon?
In a separate case, a federal judge in March 2026 blocked Perplexity's Comet AI browser from accessing Amazon's website. Amazon alleged that Comet disguised itself as a regular browser to bypass security controls and access customer accounts without Amazon's authorization. The court agreed that Amazon was likely to succeed on its fraud claims.
Do AI chatbots track your data?
Many AI platforms collect user data to improve their services, and some may use third-party tracking tools. Privacy policies vary widely between services. It is a good practice to read the privacy policy of any AI tool you use and to avoid sharing sensitive information unless you are confident your data is protected.
