Google is ordered to pay $314.6 million to Android smartphone users in California because the company misused customers’ data. A San Jose jury made the ruling on Tuesday, saying the tech giant was sending and receiving data without users’ permission while the devices were idle. Per The Guardian, the lawsuit stated that the company is liable for “mandatory and unavoidable burdens shouldered by Android device users for Google’s benefit.”
What did Google say after being accused of misusing users’ data?
Jose Castaneda, a Google spokesperson, refuted the verdict from the San Jose court. Per The Guardian, Castaneda said in a statement that the verdict “misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices.”
Google argued that the company didn’t harm any Android users by collecting data. The company also said users consented to Google’s terms of service and privacy policies before their information was collected. According to Reuters, the defense counsel said “plaintiffs’ theory is revealed as little more than a (misguided) product design claim” when the “rhetoric and hyperbole are set aside.” There is no “wrongful conversion,” the defense counsel stated, per Reuters.
What did the plaintiffs say after Google was ordered to pay for data misuse?
Attorney Glen Summers, who is representing the plaintiffs, praised Tuesday’s verdict. Per The Guardian, Summers said the ruling “forcefully vindicates the merits of this case and reflects the seriousness of Google’s misconduct.”
The plaintiffs, who filed the class action lawsuit in 2019 representing about 14 million Android users in California, argued that Google collected information from Android phones, even when the devices were off, and used the data for targeted advertising. Android users added that Google forced them to waste the data they purchased from their carriers as it was transferring people’s information.
A separate group has also filed a case against Google for collecting data without people’s consent. The lawsuit, also filed in San Jose, represents Android users in the 49 states outside of California. That case is expected to go to trial in April 2026.