Jury Rules Against Google in $425M Privacy Lawsuit

In July 2020, a user filed a lawsuit against Google over its App Activity Tracking feature, alleging that Google continued to monitor and collect data even after users had disabled the option to opt out. The case gained class-action status, meaning nearly 100 million Google users in the United States automatically became plaintiffs unless they opted out. A California jury ruled that Google violated privacy rights and must pay $425 million in compensatory damages, while rejecting additional punitive claims.

At issue were Google account privacy settings, specifically Web & App Activity and its sub-settings, with plaintiffs arguing that Google never obtained user consent to collect or use the data, including data from those who had opted out. Google contended that it disclosed to users that some information would continue to be gathered even with Web Activity turned off, and that no false statements were made.

December 2024 saw class-action notices sent to affected users under court authorisation, with eligibility tied to disabling App Activity Tracking between 1 July 2016 and 23 September 2024; those who did not receive a notice were likely not affected. According to Courthouse News.