Toyota is the latest company to face accusations that it told users they could protect their privacy online — and then allegedly failed to honor that choice anyway.
A proposed class action alleges the automaker continued tracking visitors to Toyota.com even after they clicked "decline" on its cookie banner.
What happened?
According to Fox Business, lead plaintiff Brittany Conner filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday, alleging that Toyota kept using web-tracking technology even after users refused third-party cookies.
According to the complaint, that technology allowed third parties to collect browsing history, device details, online identifiers, and other information that could later be used for targeted advertising.
The complaint also accuses Toyota of using fingerprinting, a tracking approach that can identify internet users by assembling information from their devices and browsing activity.
Turning down traditional cookies does not necessarily stop fingerprinting. That means users may think tracking has been switched off even while other tools continue gathering data.
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
The case is part of a growing wave of litigation brought under California's Invasion of Privacy Act, known as CIPA, a 1967 anti-wiretapping law that, according to Fox Business, is increasingly being used to challenge website tracking and online data collection.
Why does it matter?
If a website presents a clear privacy choice and that choice is not respected, one of the few tools people have to control how their data is collected and shared is undermined.
Information tied to browsing habits, devices, and online identifiers can feed the digital advertising system, helping companies and third parties build detailed user profiles for ad targeting without people fully understanding what is happening.
The lawsuit also shows how legally risky these practices have become. Privacy compliance firm OneTrust said that 2025 saw more than 800 CIPA suits aimed at companies over tools that plaintiffs say collected data without proper consent, according to Fox Business.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Several companies have already paid large sums to resolve similar claims. Fox Business noted that Forbes Media said in May it would pay $10 million to resolve a proposed "trap and trace" class action, while the Los Angeles Times reached a $3.85 million settlement.
DraftKings and the NFL have also faced lawsuits over alleged tracking practices.
What's being done?
The growing number of lawsuits is putting pressure on companies to make sure their privacy banners accurately reflect what their websites are doing behind the scenes.
If these cases succeed, they could push more businesses to review cookie banners, third-party advertising tools, analytics software, and other less visible tracking systems. That could lead to clearer disclosures and more meaningful opt-out options for consumers.
Toyota did not immediately answer Fox Business' request for comment, and Conner is represented by Pacific Trial Attorneys, which also did not immediately respond.
As claims involving fingerprinting continue to spread, businesses that ignore consent may face growing legal and public backlash.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
