Google Fined Over Forced Data Flow: California Jury Awards $314.6 Million
A jury in San Jose, California, on Tuesday ordered Google to pay $314.6 million in damages for collecting and using Android users’ mobile data without their consent, according to a report by Reuters.
The plaintiffs alleged that Google continued to send and receive data from users’ Android devices even when they were inactive, creating what was described as an “inescapable burden” for users. The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2019 on behalf of approximately 14 million residents of California.
In response to the verdict, Google announced its intention to appeal, stating that the services in question are “critical to maintaining device security and functionality.”
Separate litigation on behalf of Android users in the other 49 U.S. states is also underway, with a trial scheduled to begin in April 2026.
