Google Agrees To $68 Million Settlement Over Assistant Recordings
Settlement would cover device owners dating back to May 18, 2016, pending approval by U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman.
Overview
Google agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class-action alleging Google Assistant recorded private conversations and shared them with advertisers, according to a preliminary settlement filed Jan. 23 in federal court in San Jose.
Plaintiffs allege the assistant sometimes activated without the wake word and that recordings dating back to May 18, 2016, were used for targeted advertising, court documents show.
Google denied wrongdoing in court filings and said it settled to avoid litigation costs, and the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment, court papers show.
The settlement would create a $68 million fund, allow claimants to submit claims for up to three devices, and could see plaintiffs' lawyers seek up to one-third—about $22.7 million—in fees, court documents state.
U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman must approve the preliminary settlement before any payments are distributed, and a final approval hearing date has not been set, according to court filings.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this story neutrally: they attribute allegations to plaintiffs, include Google's denial, explain how Assistant operates, and provide legal and comparative context (class-action details, Apple settlement). Language like "secretly" appears only as a description of claims, keeping editorial framing minimal and factual.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Owners or users of Google devices affected by false activations of Google Assistant dating back to May 18, 2016, can submit claims for up to three devices.
The settlement is preliminary, filed on January 23, 2026, in federal court in San Jose, and awaits approval by U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman; a final approval hearing date is not yet set.
No, Google denied wrongdoing and settled to avoid the costs, risks, and uncertainty of litigation.
Individual payouts depend on the number of valid claims but are expected to be similar to Apple's Siri settlement ($8-$40 per person); plaintiffs' lawyers may seek up to one-third ($22.7 million) in fees.
Apple settled a similar Siri privacy lawsuit for $95 million in late 2024 or early 2025, covering unauthorized recordings.
History
This story does not have any previous versions.