Android Users Victorious: Google Faces $314.6 Million Payout

Android smartphone users in California have achieved a significant victory, as a jury has ordered Google to pay them over $314.6 million. The verdict holds Google liable for unauthorized data transfers from devices while they were idle, a practice that the lawsuit characterized as imposing “mandatory and unavoidable burdens” on users for Google’s benefit. This ruling is a win for digital consumer rights.
The class-action lawsuit, initiated in state court in 2019, represented an estimated 14 million Californians. Plaintiffs alleged that Google collected information from inactive Android phones for its own corporate uses, such as targeted advertising, thereby consuming Android users’ cellular data at their expense. This forms the basis of the jury’s decision.
Google, an Alphabet company, has stated its intention to appeal the judgment. Company spokesperson Jose Castaneda commented that the verdict “misunderstand services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices.” Google’s appeal will likely argue for the technical necessity and beneficial nature of its data practices.
Conversely, Glen Summers, the attorney for the plaintiffs, hailed the verdict as a “forceful vindication of the merits of this case and reflects the seriousness of Google’s misconduct.” This landmark case could influence how technology companies handle user data globally. A separate federal lawsuit, bringing similar claims on behalf of Android users in the other 49 states, is scheduled for trial in April 2026.