Google has been ordered to pay $314.6 million to Android smartphone users in California after a jury determined the company secretly transferred data from idle devices. The jury agreed that Google was liable for these unauthorized transfers, which imposed “mandatory and unavoidable burdens” on users for the tech giant’s benefit. This significant judgment underscores the importance of data transparency.
The class action, filed in 2019, covered approximately 14 million California residents. Plaintiffs asserted that Google harvested data from inactive Android phones for commercial purposes, including targeted advertising, resulting in users’ cellular data being consumed without their knowledge or consent. This practice formed the core of the legal challenge.
Google intends to appeal the verdict, with spokesperson Jose Castaneda arguing that the decision “misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices.” The company’s appeal will likely focus on the essential nature of its data operations for the Android ecosystem.
Glen Summers, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, hailed the verdict as a “forceful vindication of the merits of this case and reflects the seriousness of Google’s misconduct.” This case could set a precedent for future litigation concerning data privacy. A parallel lawsuit, involving Android users in the remaining 49 states, is set for trial in federal court in April 2026.