SAN FRANCISCO — PNC Bank National Association, U.S. Bank National Association and Wells Fargo & Co. have been hit with separate proposed class action lawsuits alleging they improperly shared website visitors’ financial data with third parties without consent, in violation of California privacy laws, according to legal filings and media reports.
The third parties, include Trade Desk Inc., LinkedIn Corp., Pinterest Inc., and Snap Inc.
The complaints claim the banks used online tracking tools — such as cookies, pixels or similar technologies — on their websites that captured users’ interactions and transmitted that information to outside parties, the lawsuits allege. Plaintiffs argue the practice amounts to unlawful interception of communications under California statutes, including the California Invasion of Privacy Act.
Surge in Privacy Litigation
The litigation reflects a broader surge in privacy-related lawsuits targeting companies’ use of website tracking technologies, particularly in California, where courts have seen a growing number of claims tied to digital data collection practices, according to legal analyses.
In one similar case cited in court filings, a lawsuit against PNC alleged the bank used third-party tracking technology to monitor and record visitors’ website activity without their knowledge or consent, including interactions across webpages.
The new complaints against the three banks raise comparable allegations, asserting that sensitive financial or browsing data was disclosed to third parties for analytics or marketing purposes without proper authorization.
Plaintiffs are seeking damages and injunctive relief, and are asking courts to certify the cases as class actions representing affected website users.
