Google Ordered to Pay $425.7M for Snooping on 98 million Smartphones
A San Francisco federal jury has ordered Google to pay a staggering $425.7 million after finding the tech giant illegally tracked smartphone users who believed they had opted out of such surveillance. The verdict…
A San Francisco federal jury has ordered 🔍Google to pay a staggering $425.7 million after finding the tech giant illegally tracked smartphone users who believed they had opted out of such surveillance.
The verdict, reached Wednesday after a two-week trial, represents a major blow to 🔍Google and a significant moment in the fight over digital privacy rights in the United States, according to The Associated Press.
The class-action case spanned a wide period — from July 1, 2016, to Sept. 23, 2024 — and covered approximately 98 million smartphones.
That means the 💰Payout breaks down to roughly $4 per device, a small amount per user, but a massive signal from the jury about tech accountability.
Despite the jury’s clear ruling, 🔍Google denies any wrongdoing and says it will appeal the decision.
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“This decision misunderstands how our products work, and we will appeal it,” said
🔍Google
spokesman Jose Castaneda on Thursday. “Our privacy tools give people control over their data, and when they turn off personalization, we honor that choice.”
The plaintiffs in the five-year-old case accused 🔍Google of collecting data from users who had attempted to turn off tracking and privacy settings, only to have their movements and online activity monitored anyway — a move lawyers claim generated billions in advertising revenue.
The lawyers argued that 🔍Google used the data they collected off smartphones without users’ permission to help sell ads tailored to users’ individual interests — a strategy that resulted in the company reaping billions in additional revenue.
They had originally sought more than $30 billion in damages, alleging that 🔍Google’s behind-the-scenes tracking and ad targeting amounted to illegal profiteering.
While the final jury award was far less than requested, privacy advocates say it’s still a major win for consumers and a powerful warning shot to the rest of Big Tech.
“We hope this result sends a message to the tech industry that Americans will not sit idly by as their information is collected and monetized against their will,” said attorney John Yanchunis of Morgan & Morgan, who helped bring the case.
The ruling came just one day after 🔍Google dodged a bullet in a separate, high-profile antitrust case in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Department of Justice had sought to break up 🔍Google’s search engine operations. A federal judge ruled that the company was operating an illegal monopoly but stopped short of calling for a breakup, instead ordering 🔍Google to share some of its search data with competitors.
With court battles stacking up and scrutiny increasing, this week has delivered a one-two punch to 🔍Google — one on monopoly power, the other on privacy violations. And with appeals looming, the fight over tech dominance and personal data is far from over.
Google Ordered to Pay $425.7M for Snooping on 98 million Smartphones — IJR
