Google Maps Class Action Says Local Guide Incentives Misrepresented

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A Google Maps class action lawsuit says that Google’s Local Guide incentive program is fraudulent, because it offers users a “free terabyte” of data storage when guides perform certain tasks, but in reality, only gives them a free terabyte of data storage for two years, after which point they must pay for the data storage to maintain it.

Plaintiff Andrew Roley says that he worked as a “Local Guide” for Google LLC, meaning that he helped Google enhance the quality of products like Google Maps and Google Earth by giving them access to “local knowledge” to provide insight into locations in his area.

He says that like all local guides, he did this not for a payment, but received “thank you gifts” like access to certain “Local Guides” events and other incentives.

The Google class action lawsuit states that Google promises Local Guides who achieved “Level Four status” as being eligible to receive a free terabyte of storage.

The plaintiff says that Google did not advertise that the storage would have a time limit, but in reality, Local Guides only received two years free of a terabyte of storage.

The Google Maps class action claims that Google intentionally misrepresented the “thank you gift” to Local Guides to incentivize them to perform more work.

Allegedly, Roley and other Local Guides performed more work for Google specifically because they thought they would earn a free terabyte of storage with no time limit.

The Google data storage class action lawsuit argues that “no person would understand an offer from Google for a ‘free terabyte of storage’ to be limited to ‘two years of free data storage’ because Google intentionally failed to qualify its offer as limited in such a manner.”

Allegedly, Google knew that the wording in its advertisement of the gift would be deceptive, and intentionally made the information misleading at least in part to turn the Local Guides who had earned the free terabyte of storage into subscribers, or people who pay regularly to Google for data storage.

According to the Google Maps class action, Google profited off of this misrepresentation because it gained new paying subscribers that it otherwise would not have gained, when Local Guides had to pay to maintain what they thought was a free terabyte of storage after the two year limit.

Additionally, Google allegedly profited because it uses information gained from Local Guides to advertise and provide better-quality products to consumers, thereby gaining more revenue.

Roley seeks an injunction barring Google from continuing to misrepresent the incentives provided to Local Guides, and seeks that Google honor its promise of providing Level Four Local Guides with a free terabyte of storage with no time limit.

Roley is represented by Monique Olivier and Christian Schreiber of Olivier Schreiber & Chao LLP, Rebecca K. Shelquist and Robert A. Peterson of Lockridge Grindal Lauen PLLP, Vildan A. Teske and Marisa C. Katz of Teske Katz Kitzer & Rochel PLLP, and Seth Leventhal of Levelthal PLLC.

The Google Maps Local Guides Data Storage Class Action Lawsuit is Andrew Roley v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. 18CV336773, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara.

UPDATE: On April 23, 2019, a federal judge decided to not dismiss the Goggle Drive class action lawsuit, denying Google’s request to do so.