Google Pays $135M Over Secret Android Data Collection

Google has agreed to a $135 million settlement to resolve a proposed class action lawsuit concerning the alleged unauthorized collection of cellular data from Android users. The settlement was submitted to a federal court in San Jose, California, for preliminary approval by a judge. This agreement addresses claims that Google programmed its Android operating system to gather user data without explicit permission.

The lawsuit asserts that data collection persisted even when Google's applications were not in use, location sharing was disabled, or the device screen was locked. Plaintiffs contended that this collected cellular data, purchased from carriers, was used to enhance Google's products and fuel targeted advertising campaigns, constituting a wrongful appropriation of property.

As part of the resolution, Google will implement new consent protocols for data transfers during phone setup and enhance user controls for managing data sharing. The company will also disclose these data transfer practices within its Google Play terms of service. The settlement aims to prevent future unauthorized data collection and provides compensation to affected users, with individual payouts capped at $100.