Google settles $68 million lawsuit over Google Assistant unauthorized recordings
Google agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging its Google Assistant voice assistant recorded users' private conversations without their knowledge or consent. The settlement requires approval by a federal judge and covers claims that the device recorded even when activation phrases like "Hey Google" were not used.
What happened
Google agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in San Jose, California on January 23. The settlement requires approval by U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman.
The lawsuit alleged that Google Assistant recorded users' private conversations without their knowledge, even when activation phrases such as 'Hey Google' or 'Okay Google' were not used. Claimants stated that the devices recorded conversations about financial issues, personal decisions and employment, and that these recordings were then shared with advertisers for targeted advertising purposes.
Reported impact
Consumers will be able to submit claims for up to three Google devices, though individual payments will depend on the total number of claims submitted. Lawyers for plaintiffs may seek up to one-third of the settlement fund for legal fees.
Governance controls
Google stated that its voice assistant was designed to only register speech when consumers uttered an activation phrase. Google did not acknowledge any fault but said it decided to settle to avoid the 'uncertainty, risk, expense, inconvenience and distraction' of lengthy litigation.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.