Toyota is the latest company facing a lawsuit over its website's use of online tracking technology — aka cookies — highlighting a growing legal risk for businesses that rely on digital advertising and consumer data.
A proposed class action filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court accuses the automaker of continuing to track visitors to Toyota.com even after they declined third-party cookies, allegedly violating California privacy law.
Lead plaintiff Brittany Conner alleges Toyota installed tracking technology on users' devices even though they opted out through the website's cookie consent banner.
According to the complaint, the technology allowed third parties to collect browsing activity, device information, online identifiers and other data used for targeted advertising.
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The lawsuit alleges the tracking relied on a practice known as "fingerprinting," which can identify internet users by combining information about their devices and browsing activity, even when traditional tracking cookies are rejected.
Toyota's website presents visitors with a consent banner offering the option to accept or decline cookies and similar tracking technologies. The lawsuit alleges the company nevertheless deployed tracking tools after users selected "decline."
The case comes as businesses across industries face mounting litigation under the California Invasion of Privacy Act, or CIPA, a 1967 law originally enacted to prohibit wiretapping. In recent years, however, plaintiffs have increasingly used the statute to challenge website tracking technologies and other online data collection practices.
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According to privacy compliance firm OneTrust, more than 800 CIPA lawsuits were filed in 2025, targeting companies over technologies that plaintiffs argue collect consumer data without users' consent.
Several companies have recently resolved similar claims. Forbes Media agreed in May to pay $10 million to settle a proposed "trap and trace" class action, while the Los Angeles Times agreed to a $3.85 million settlement.
DraftKings and the NFL have also been sued over alleged website tracking practices.
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Conner is represented by Pacific Trial Attorneys. The firm did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
Toyota did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
