Google settles for $68M in class action over alleged recording of private conversations

Google class action settlement overview:

• Who: Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. agreed to a proposed $68 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit.
• Why: Plaintiffs allege Google Assistant-enabled devices recorded private conversations without user consent.
• Where: The Google class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

Google and Alphabet have agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging they unlawfully recorded users’ conversations through Google Assistant-enabled devices without consent. 

The proposed Google settlement is pending approval from a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The Google class action lawsuit was filed in 2019 after consumers accused Google of concealing that its Assistant-enabled devices could unintentionally activate and record conversations inside users’ homes. 

According to the plaintiffs, the devices recorded private communications through so-called “false accepts,” meaning the Assistant began recording even when users did not intentionally activate it with a hot word, such as “Hey Google.”

Plaintiffs further alleged Google used or shared these recordings without obtaining proper consent from users. Google has denied all wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to resolve the claims and avoid further litigation.

Google privacy lawsuit settlement would pay up to $56 per device

The Google class action settlement benefits consumers who purchased a Google-made device or whose communications were recorded or otherwise obtained by a Google Assistant-enabled device between May 18, 2016, and the date the court grants preliminary approval of the settlement.

Under the terms of the proposed Google Assistant settlement, payments will be distributed through a points-based system that assigns greater value to purchasers of Google-made devices. 

Class counsel estimate device purchasers could receive approximately $18 to $56 per device, while “privacy-only” class members, or those whose conversations were recorded but who did not purchase a device, could receive between $2 and $10, depending on participation rates.

During the litigation, Google unsuccessfully sought to compel arbitration and later argued its privacy policies did not guarantee recordings would occur only after intentional activation.

Consumers countered that Google repeatedly assured users its Assistant devices would listen only after a hot word was spoken and would not share audio recordings without express consent.

The final approval hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2026. The settlement website is still to go live, but you can sign up for our free newsletter to stay informed of the latest updates. 

In another settlement just reached, Google has agreed to pay $8.25 million to resolve allegations that Google Play Store collected the personal information of children under the age of 13 without parental consent.

What do you think of the Google class action settlement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Lowey Dannenberg P.C. and Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP.

The Google Assistant class action settlement is In re Google Assistant Privacy Litigation, Case No. 5:19-cv-04286, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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