Google Street View Class Action Settlement

A $13 million settlement will resolve a Google Street View class action lawsuit that claimed user information was illegally collected when consumers used public Wi-Fi.

Class Members include those who used a wireless network device between Jan. 1, 2007 and May 15, 2010. The wireless network device must have been accessed by Google’s Street View vehicles and unencrypted “Payload Data” must have been obtained.

Payload Data refers to data frames that may contain the contents of communications transmitted over a network. These frames must have been under the 801.11 Wireless Standard.

In simpler terms, Class Members may include those who used a non-password protected wireless network device, like a router, in the U.S. where a Google Street View vehicle likely passed during the Class Period.

The Google Street View class action lawsuit alleged that the tech company secretly collected personal data from Wi-Fi networks. According to the complaint, Google implemented its Street View program in 2007. The goal of the project was to map and photograph the nation; however, the plaintiffs accused Google of also collecting usernames, passwords, and emails from wireless networks along the way.

The class action lawsuit charged Google with violating the Federal Wiretap Act. The plaintiffs said that Google illegally intercepted the electronic communications of those without passwords on their routers and other wireless devices with their Street View vehicles.

The Google Street View class action lawsuit was trimmed, but allowed to proceed in 2011 by a federal judge who ruled that the plaintiffs’ Federal Wiretap Act claims held water.

After many years of litigation, the tech giant agreed to pay $13 million and enter into the Google Street View class action settlement.

Under the terms of the settlement, Google agreed to destroy and refrain from collecting and storing any Payload Data collected by its mapping vehicles. Google has also agreed to pay $13 million to a number of nonprofit organizations as a part of the agreement.

Class Members are automatically entered into the Google Street View class action settlement. Class Members who wish to object to or exclude themselves from the settlement must do so in writing and submit it to the court by Jan. 20, 2020.

UPDATE: On Jan. 20, 2020, nine attorneys general filed an amicus brief objecting to a $13 million cy pres settlement between Google and consumers which would end a class action lawsuit related to company’s gathering of Wi-Fi data with its Street View vehicles.

Who’s Eligible

Class Members include those “used a wireless network device from which Google’s Street View vehicles in the United States obtained unencrypted Payload Data between January 1, 2007 and May 15, 2010.”

• Payload Data refers to “data frames under the 802.11 Wireless Standard, consisting of a body that may contain the content of communications being transmitted over the network.”
• Unencrypted Payload Data refers to data “available from a wireless network device (such as a router) that is not password protected.”

Potential Award

No cash payment. Google has agreed to destroy and refrain from collecting such data.

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

A Claim Form is not available on the settlement website. If you are a Class Member, your information will automatically be deleted. See Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Exclusion/Objection Deadline

1/20/2020

Case Name

In re: Google Inc. Street View Electronic Communications Litigation, MDL No. 2184, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Final Hearing

2/28/2020

UPDATE: The Google Street View Class Action Settlement was granted final approval on March 18, 2020. Please note that this particular settlement does not offer a monetary payout to individual consumers. Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.

Settlement Website

StreetViewSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

In re: Google LLC Street View Electronic Communications Litigation
c/o A.B. Data Ltd.
P.O. Box 170500
Milwaukee WI 53217
1-800-332-7417

info@StreetViewSettlement.com

Class Counsel

SPECTOR ROSEMAN & KODROFF

COHEN MILSTEIN SELLERS & TOLL PLLC

LIEFF CABRASER HEIMANN & BERNSTEIN LLP

Defense Counsel

WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH ROSATI

Read More Lawsuit & Settlement News:

$5.5M Google Cookie Class Action Settlement Tossed by 3rd Circ.

Lawsuit Claims Mesothelioma Caused by Asbestos Gloves

Google Assistant Class Action Says Users Are Recorded

New Study Offers More Evidence of Talcum Powder Asbestos Risk