Are you one of the millions of US Android users who could get paid as a result of the $135 million Google lawsuit settlement? It affects people who have had Android phones going back nearly a decade, but you’ll want to sign up soon to file a claim because after June 23, 2026, payouts may not be guaranteed.
This is a class action lawsuit Joseph Taylor v. Google (PDF) claims that Google “effectively forced users to subsidize its tracking by secretly programming Android devices to constantly transmit user information,” meaning that the Android OS automatically sent Google user data from its carriers without users knowing or being able to opt out. According to the lawsuit, this tracking occurred even when people closed or disabled apps location tracking.
The lawsuit also contains another significant allegation: that Google’s data collection practices constitute a crime called conversion. Conversion occurs when one party takes property from another with the intention of dispossessing it. No previous conversion case had ever settled for more than $135 million.
Google has denied wrongdoing, and the court did not decide whether the company broke any laws. Nevertheless, Google agreed to settle with the class members, and the court preliminarily approved the settlement.
“We are pleased to settle this case, which mischaracterizes standard industry practices that keep Android secure. We provide additional messages to give people more information about how our services work,” said Google spokesperson Jose Castañeda.
Where do I go to apply?
You will need the information from the letter or email you should have received to sign up for the claim.
The official website of the settlement now working, but payment is subject to final court approval. Please note that you will need to send the message ID that you should have received in the letter or email if you are eligible.
Final approval is currently scheduled for June 23. At the meeting, the payment amount will be confirmed, attorneys’ fees will be allocated, and a distribution plan will be created to ensure that the money reaches the eligible class members. Any changes to the final approval meeting schedule will be reflected on the agreement’s website.
If you meet all of the criteria to be a class member in this case, you are automatically eligible to receive a portion of the settlement payment some time after the final approval hearing. But you’re not guaranteed to get paid if you don’t select the desired payment method on the site of the settlement until June 23.
The lawsuit could have significant implications for data privacy and other data collection practices. It will also force a change in Google’s terms of service. The company has agreed to get more explicit consent from Android users on first use new phonesincluding a toggle button to opt out of certain types of data collection and clearer disclosure of data collection practices.
You will need to fill in your payment details on the official website to be eligible for settlement payment.
Which Android users can participate in the Google agreement?
You may have an Android phone, but that doesn’t automatically make you eligible to claim money from this suit. While the settlement payment and distribution plan has not been confirmed, there is a very specific outline detailing who is involved in the settlement.
To join, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be a person living in the United States or its territories.
- Used an Android mobile phone and cellular data plan at any time between November 12, 2017 and the final approval of this agreement.
- He did not participate in the class action Csupo v. Google LLC (PDF). This case focused on the same allegations, but only involved California residents. You cannot be a class member in both suits.
Android users had the option to opt out of any payments, but that choice expired on May 29. This option existed for those who wanted to file their own lawsuits against Google for data surveillance. Joining a class action lawsuit will take away that option.
How much will the Android data collection bill cost?
While we don’t know exactly how much each class member will receive from the settlement, there is an upper limit. Payouts are limited to $100 per person, so don’t expect to get more than that.
A portion of the settlement money will first be used to pay the attorneys’ fees, and then the rest of the money will be distributed equally among the class members. If there is money left over after the first round of distributions, it will be distributed in a smaller second round of settlement payments to eligible settlement class members.
Even if you are a class member, you must still enter the desired payment information through the settlement’s official website so that the money is distributed correctly.
Another agreement related to Google’s ad targeting
This isn’t the only class-action lawsuit alleging that Google’s ad targeting practices crossed the line. Google recently agreed to a $68 million of the preliminary settlement otherwise, this one featuring Google Assistant (now replaced by Gemini for Home).
Users claimed that smart devices used the Google Assistant to listen to them without their activation, leading to ad targeting based on information they had unwillingly shared. Payments will be made automatically in this locality. No claim form is required to receive payment.
