It’s a Big Week for Google Privacy Violation Settlements
It’s a Big Week for Google Privacy Violation Settlements
https://gizmodo.com/its-a-big-week-for-google-privacy-violation-settlements-2000715678
Publish Date: 2026-01-29 13:55:00
Source Domain: gizmodo.com
Google’s pockets are about $200 million lighter than they were coming into this week after the company agreed to two separate settlements for two separate class action lawsuits that accused the company of violating user privacy. $135 million will be paid in a case that alleged Google collected user cellular data without permission, and $68 million will go to put to bed a case that claimed Google allowed its Google Assistant to record private conversations without permission.
The bigger payout related to Google’s apparent practice of needlessly (or illegally, depending on your perspective) collecting cellular data even when a user had closed all Google apps, had location sharing turned off, and had locked their device’s screen. Google allegedly used that data for product development and targeted advertising, which the lawsuit alleged was “conversion,” the wrongful acquisition of another party’s property with the intent to control it.
Per Reuters, the settlement is believed to be the largest ever in a conversion case. Members of the class will be capped at a $100 payout. In addition to the money, they also got Google to agree ask for consent during device setup before transferring data, will add a toggle to give users the right to turn off transfers, and will disclose data transfers in its Google Play terms of service. Of course, Google will also admit no wrongdoing as part of the whole deal.
The smaller deal is the one that has managed to get more attention. The $68 million settlement claimed that Google’s voice assistant, Google Assistant, would record user conversations without consent and use those conversations for targeted advertising—a claim that set off another round of everyone’s favorite conspiracy theory that definitely feels real even if it’s not: Your phone is listening to you.
Now, technically, it’s true that your phone is listening. That is how Google Assistant works. It is listening for the “wake…
