A US jury has ruled that Google must pay $425 million for breaching the privacy of tens of millions of users. The case involved claims that Google continued to collect data from third-party mobile apps even after users had changed their account settings to stop this tracking.
The lawsuit, filed in July 2020, represented about 98 million Google users who had opted out of a tracking feature called “Web & App Activity.” These users said Google violated their privacy by collecting and selling information about their app usage despite their settings.
Google argued in court that the data collected was “nonpersonal” and “pseudonymous,” meaning it could not be directly linked to individuals, and that it was stored securely. However, the jury disagreed, leading to the $425 million verdict.
Google responded by saying the decision showed a misunderstanding of how their products work. A spokesperson, Jose Castaneda, stated, “Our privacy tools give people control over their data, and when they turn off personalization, we honor that choice.” Google also confirmed it would appeal the ruling.
This case is not the first privacy-related issue for Google. In May 2025, the company agreed to pay $1.375 billion to Texas over allegations that it collected facial recognition and voice data without proper consent and tracked user locations even when users had opted out.
The verdict highlights ongoing concerns about how large tech companies handle user data and the importance of respecting privacy settings.