A California jury has ordered the tech giant Google to pay $314.6 million for collecting user data from Android smartphones without consent.
The verdict follows a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of approximately 14 million California residents, accusing Google of engaging in deceptive and privacy-invasive practices, Reuters news report said.
The jury found that Google unlawfully transmitted data from Android devices even when they were idle, effectively exploiting users’ devices for its own benefit — particularly for targeted advertising — without transparent permission. The lawsuit described these hidden transfers as “mandatory and unavoidable burdens” imposed on users to support Google’s business operations.
“This verdict forcefully vindicates the merits of this case and reflects the seriousness of Google’s misconduct,” said Glen Summers, an attorney representing the plaintiffs.
Google has denied wrongdoing and plans to appeal the decision. A company spokesperson claimed the ruling “misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices,” asserting that users had agreed to data sharing through Google’s terms of service and privacy policies.
However, the jury’s decision highlights concerns about how Google handles user privacy, particularly the disconnect between its public policies and actual practices. The court found that users were not meaningfully informed about, nor had real control over, how their data was being harvested — even when their phones were not in use.
The verdict underscores growing scrutiny of Big Tech’s data collection practices and sets a potential precedent. A separate federal case, involving Android users in the remaining 49 U.S. states, is scheduled to go to trial in 2026, posing another major challenge to Google’s data policies.
Recent penalties on Google
In April 2025, a U.S. federal judge ruled that Google’s digital advertising technologies — including its ad server and ad exchange — constitute an illegal monopoly, marking Google’s second major antitrust defeat in the U.S. within a year. The decision could lead to divestments such as the Ad Manager platform, though Google plans to appeal, Financial Times reports.
In June 2025, an advocate general at the EU Court of Justice recommended that the Court uphold the €4.124 billion fine levied against Google in 2018 for anticompetitive restrictions placed on Android device manufacturers. The Court’s final ruling is expected soon, Times of India reports.
In 2025, the European Commission formally charged Google under the newly-enacted Digital Markets Act. The Commission claims Google favors its own services — such as Shopping, Hotels, and Flights —over rivals and enforces unfair app-store rules, potentially exposing the company to fines up to 10 percent of global revenue (roughly $35 billion), The Verge reports.
In January 2025, Indonesia’s antitrust authority fined Google approximately $12.4 million for abusing its dominant position by mandating Google Play Billing with high fees, which harmed app developers. Google has announced it will appeal, NYPost.com reports.
In Russia, Google was hit with a $78 million fine early in 2025 for failing to comply with prior court rulings — likely related to content removal orders — marking one of the few large-scale technology penalties in that market, NYPost.com reports.
These actions span multiple jurisdictions (U.S., EU, Indonesia, Russia), cover issues from ad‑tech monopolies and Android bundling to billing practices and content enforcement, and point to increasing global regulatory scrutiny aimed at reining in Google’s market dominance.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
