A California jury has ordered Google to pay over $314 million in damages to Android users in the state, concluding that the company misused their cellular data without consent. The verdict affects around 14 million Android smartphone users across California.
The class-action lawsuit accused Google of improperly collecting and transmitting data from Android devices even when users weren’t actively using their phones or connected to Wi-Fi. This data transmission, done in the background while phones were idle, resulted in the consumption of users’ cellular data plans without their explicit knowledge or permission.
What did the Jury find?
The court found that Google transmitted log files and other data to its servers from Android phones on a regular basis, even when users weren’t engaged with the devices. These background transfers, according to the lawsuit, could have been restricted to Wi-Fi connections but instead took place over cellular networks, leading to unwanted data charges for users.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that a Samsung Galaxy S7 running default settings sent about 8.88MB of data per day in idle mode, with 94% of it going directly to Google. In comparison, iPhones sent only a fraction of that amount, about one-tenth, to Apple.
Google’s Response
Google denied any wrongdoing, stating that these data transmissions were necessary to ensure the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices. The company also maintained that users had agreed to these data practices through Google’s privacy policies and terms of service.
In a statement following the verdict, Google confirmed it plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the court misunderstood how Android works and the technical requirements involved.
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