Google Ordered to Pay $425.7 Million for Nearly a Decade of Smartphone Snooping Violations

A federal jury has ordered Google to pay $425.7 million for improperly snooping on smartphones over nearly ten years, impacting around 98 million devices. The ruling highlights significant privacy violations under California law.

A federal jury has mandated Google to pay $425.7 million for unlawfully accessing smartphone data over nearly ten years. This decision was made in San Francisco after a trial lasting over two weeks. The class-action lawsuit involved around 98 million smartphones in the US from July 1, 2016, to September 23, 2024. Consequently, the damages amount to about $4 per device.

Google has consistently denied allegations of improper tracking, asserting that its privacy controls were effective. Despite this, the jury found Google guilty of violating California privacy laws. "This decision misunderstands how our products work, and we will appeal it," stated Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda. "Our privacy tools give people control over their data, and when they turn off personalisation, we honour that choice."

Privacy Concerns and Legal Battles

The lawsuit claimed Google used data from smartphones without user consent to enhance ad sales based on individual interests. This strategy allegedly generated billions in extra revenue for the company. Lawyers argued these ad sales were illegal profiteering, deserving damages exceeding $30 billion. Although the jury awarded much less, one lawyer viewed the outcome as a win for privacy rights.

Attorney John Yanchunis from Morgan & Morgan expressed hope that this verdict would signal to the tech industry that Americans won't tolerate their data being collected and monetised without consent. "We hope this result sends a message to the tech industry that Americans will not sit idly by as their information is collected and monetised against their will," he said.

Antitrust Case Developments

The San Francisco verdict came shortly after Google avoided a breakup attempt by the US Department of Justice in an antitrust case in Washington, DC. The case targeted Google's dominant search engine as an illegal monopoly. A federal judge ordered less drastic changes, such as requiring Google to share some search data with competitors.

This legal battle highlights ongoing concerns about privacy and competition within the tech industry. While Google's appeal may alter the outcome, the current verdict underscores the importance of user consent and transparency in data collection practices.

With inputs from PTI