TECH NEWS – Alphabet’s subsidiary took another hit with a penalty many will call “pocket change” — and, as usual, one the company may not learn from.
Filed in 2020, a class action alleged Google collected user data without consent even when people had disabled tracking on their devices. The case has now reached its climax: a California federal jury ordered Google to pay $425.7 million in damages for violating user privacy (verdict: September 3, 2025).
According to the suit, from July 1, 2016 through September 23, 2024 Google unlawfully accessed app activity on users’ phones even when the “Web & App Activity” setting was turned off — a control meant to prevent logging of searches, location, and app interactions.
Jurors found Google liable on two counts (invasion of privacy and intrusion upon seclusion). The class encompassed about 98 million users, and while plaintiffs initially sought roughly $31 billion, the award settled at $425.7 million.
Google denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal, arguing its tools honor user choice and that any collected data, when the setting is off, doesn’t directly identify individuals.
The takeaway is clear: regulators expect tighter privacy practices and transparency, and users should stay vigilant about app permissions and account settings to reduce misuse risks.
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