A new class-action lawsuit has already compelled Google to pay $314 million in damages. The suit alleged that the technology behemoth unlawfully consumed Android users’ cellular data without their permission. That verdict arrived just shy of two months after Google agreed to settle two similar lawsuits in Texas for $1.4 billion. It highlights the increasingly valid fears regarding data privacy and user consent.
Passive Data Transfers Revealed
In a recent deep dive into Google’s handling of data on Android phones, the court found some shocking numbers. For instance, a Samsung Galaxy S7, equipped with default settings and standard pre-installed applications, transmitted an average of 8.88 MB of cellular data each day. Of this data, even more surprisingly, 94% was classified as communications from the device to Google.
Even when an Android device looks like it’s asleep and just sitting there, it is doing a lot of data transferring. When the Chrome web browser app opened in the background, this triggered around 900 passive transfers on just one day! That’s a whole lot of times that data is at work! As users, we found Google’s unprecedented data collection practices were introduced under these “mandatory and unavoidable burdens” — shocks like these led to increased scrutiny.
“Google could also program Android to allow users to enable passive transfers only when they are on Wi-Fi connections, but apparently it has chosen not to do so. Instead, Google has chosen to simply take advantage of Plaintiffs’ cellular data allowances.” – Court documents
Class-Action Certification and Trial Outcome
The California court certified the suit as a nationwide class-action complaint on behalf of 13 million Android users in the state. The trial commenced on June 2, 2025, and the jury’s decision marked a significant moment for consumer rights regarding data privacy. The court’s ruling underscored the necessity for companies like Google to obtain explicit consent from users before utilizing their cellular data.
The litigation emphasized that Google’s practices violated California law by using users’ cellular data without their permission. In doing so, the court ordered payment not just for damages but for the fair value of this unlicensed use.
“Google’s unauthorized use of their cellular data violates California law and requires Google to compensate Plaintiffs for the value of the cellular data that Google uses for its own benefit without their permission.” – Plaintiffs
Ongoing Concerns Over Data Privacy
As this recent ruling shows, industry concern over data privacy is escalating. With growing awareness and concern surrounding how personal information is handled, users are increasingly demanding transparency and accountability from major corporations like Google.
In light of the verdict, Google continues to argue that its services are indispensable. This makes them a critical mechanism for protecting the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices. Critics contend these claims fall short of explaining why user consent is lacking. In so doing, they bring to light the substantial cost burden consumers are subject to.
“Services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices.” – Google