Approximately one hundred million Android users have the opportunity to receive a compensation payout as Google has agreed to pay $135 million to settle a class-action lawsuit.
The case was preliminarily approved by the federal court in California on March 5th. The plaintiffs alleged that Google, without informing or obtaining consent from users, transmitted a significant amount of data from Android phones back to its servers to profit the company.
The lawsuit was initially filed in 2020, based in part on a study from 2018. The study revealed that even when the phones were idle, Android devices were sending data to Google approximately 14 times per hour, around the clock.
The complaint also stated that even when all apps were not in use or closed, the phones continued to transmit data. Furthermore, these transmissions drained users’ mobile data without any compensation.
Although Google denied all allegations, it opted to settle. Approximately one hundred million eligible users will receive a proportionate cash distribution, with a maximum of $100 per person. However, the actual amount received is likely to be lower than this cap due to attorney fees and related administrative costs.
The settlement applies to users who have used an Android phone in the United States and accessed the internet through a mobile network operated by a telecommunications provider after November 12, 2017. California residents who had previously participated in similar lawsuits are not included. In a separate lawsuit initiated by 14 million California residents in 2019, the jury ruled in 2025 to award $314.6 million, and Google is appealing.
Eligible users do not need to apply proactively to receive compensation. The opportunity is automatic, and users who wish to opt out or object must do so by May 29, 2026. The court is expected to hold a final hearing on June 23.
In addition to monetary compensation, Google has pledged to enhance information transparency. In the future, when setting up new Android phones, users will be clearly informed that system services may utilize network and mobile data for data transfers even when the phone is not in use.
Google will also adjust the setting for “Allow background data usage.” The plaintiffs noted that in the past, even when this option was disabled, data transfers could not be stopped entirely, leading to misunderstandings.
Furthermore, Google recently agreed to pay $68 million in another class-action lawsuit to resolve disputes over voice assistants recording conversations without consent and providing them to advertisers. This case is also expected to undergo a final hearing on June 23.
Alongside settlements for privacy breaches and monopolization, recent landmark judgments have been made in the United States against Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and Google (YouTube) for designing addictive platforms without fulfilling their responsibility to protect, resulting in social media addiction and harm to minors. Cases in California and New Mexico resulted in $6 million and $375 million in penalties, respectively, totaling compensation exceeding $380 million.
The series of lawsuits and massive compensation awards against tech companies reflect external doubts about the operating models of tech giants and demonstrate an upgraded tech regulation to hold companies accountable for the psychological harm to adolescents. Balancing innovation with corporate ethical responsibilities will be a crucial issue that tech giants like Google and Meta cannot evade in the future.
(Partial reference to English Epoch Times for this article)