Google fined $314.6 million for illegally collecting Android user data

It’s no secret that Google collects a lot of user data from Android devices. While users have several ways to limit this collection, Android is still inferior to Apple’s operating system when it comes to minimizing data transfer. Now a jury in California has fined Google $314.6 million for “misusing” smartphone owners’ data.

According to Reuters, the court sided with plaintiffs who alleged that Google sent and received data from Android smartphones without users’ permission, even when the devices were in standby mode. The class-action lawsuit was filed back in 2019 and represents the interests of about 14 million California residents.

The class action lawsuit was filed back in 2019 and represents the interests of about 14 million California residents.

The plaintiffs said Google collected data in the background when the phones were not in use, and used that information for, among other things, targeted advertising – while consuming users’ mobile internet.

Google spokesman Jose Castaneda told Reuters that the company plans to appeal the court’s decision. He said the verdict “misinterprets” the operation of services essential to the security, performance and reliability of Android devices.

In court, Google also insisted that Android users had already consented to such data transfers by accepting the terms of use and privacy policy, and that users had suffered no harm.

Since Google has appealed, the fine will not be paid until the trial is complete, and no compensation to users is expected yet. As with most litigation, the case could drag on for months or even years.

And this isn’t the only lawsuit against Google over the collection of user data without explicit consent. Another group filed a similar lawsuit in San Jose on behalf of Android users in the other 49 U.S. states. That case, however, won’t be heard in court until April of next year.

The Google fined $314.6 million for illegally collecting Android user data was first published on ITZine.ru.