Google Android Data Settlement Claim landed with a $135 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit over alleged Android data harvesting. Android users in the United States who fit the class can move toward a payout, while Google also agreed to change how it asks for consent and how it explains data collection.
Joseph Taylor v. Google
The case is Joseph Taylor v. Google. Joseph Taylor was the named plaintiff, and the lawsuit alleged that Google secretly programmed Android devices to keep transmitting user information using cellular data that customers had purchased.
The complaint also said Android updated in 2017 to collect cellular data through carriers with no way to opt out. It further alleged that the data collection continued even when people disabled location tracking or closed apps, and it framed the conduct as conversion.
$135 Million and $100
The settlement is worth $135 million. Class members are automatically eligible for a share after the final approval hearing, and individual payments may reach $100.
That money is not locked in yet. The court has preliminarily approved the payment, and the final approval meeting is scheduled for June 23.
Google's New Disclosures
Google will obtain more explicit consent from Android users when they first use new phones. The agreement also adds a toggle button to turn off certain types of data collection, and it requires Google to disclose that collection more clearly.
José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said, "We are pleased to resolve this case, which mischaracterized standard industry practices that keep Android safe. We're providing additional disclosures to give people more information about how our services work".
Class members who want to preserve the right to sue separately must opt out by May 29. Users who want money also need to select a preferred payment method on the settlement website by June 23, or they are not guaranteed to receive a payment.
