Google’s $425M Privacy Payout Is Real: You Could Be Entitled to Money
For years, Alphabet’s Google has faced ongoing legal battles, largely due to how it handles and tracks user data across its services and devices. Now, in the most recent trial, a California jury has ordered Google to pay $425 million for illegally collecting user data.
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Is Google Secretly Tracking You?
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco. It stems from a class-action lawsuit filed in July 2020 by a group of users who alleged that Google “unlawfully” collected and used device and app data, even when tracking was disabled in their Google account settings.
According to court documents, Google’s data collection practices spanned an eight-year period, from July 2016 to September 2024. During this time, the company allegedly continued accessing devices and apps linked to its Web & App Activity settings.
“This case is about Google’s illegal interception of consumers’ private activity on mobile applications. Google’s privacy promises and assurances are blatant lies,” attorneys for the plaintiffs stated.
The jury found Google liable on two of the three claims, both related to invasion of privacy. The plaintiffs had sought $31 billion in damages, covering 91 million Google users and 174 million devices.
Google Responds
Google said that it plans to appeal the ruling, according to its spokesperson, Jose Castaneda. “This decision misunderstands how our products work, and we will appeal it,” Castaneda stated. “Our privacy tools give people control over their data, and when they turn off personalization, we honor that choice,” he added.
The company also argued that the data collected was non-personal and not linked to individual user identities. Additionally, it claimed the data was stored on secure, encrypted servers.
Will You Be Eligible for Compensation?
There’s no confirmed final payout amount yet, nor an exact count of affected users in the states, as Google's appeals process is still underway.
It’s not uncommon for large tech companies to be fined and ordered to pay compensatory damages in class-action settlements. Back in 2021, Meta paid $650 as part of a settlement case to Illinois users over the facial recognition issue.
Do you believe Google violated user privacy? Should tech companies face harsher penalties for data misuse? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
