Olivia Asher is a reporter at the New Herald Tribune covering breaking news for the Digital Trends Desk. Before joining the newsroom in 2022, she covered criminal justice issues at the Orlando Plain Dealer.
April 15 , 2026
Sunnyvale - In a major legal development this week, Google has agreed to pay $135 million to settle a nationwide class action lawsuit involving alleged data privacy violations affecting nearly 200 million Android users in the United States. The settlement, which received preliminary approval in federal court on Monday, marks one of the largest privacy-related payouts in Google’s history.
The lawsuit alleged that Google collected user location data without sufficient consent, even when certain privacy settings were disabled. Google has denied wrongdoing, stating that the company “continues to prioritize user transparency and control,” but said it opted to settle to avoid prolonged litigation.
Court filings show that the law firm representing the plaintiffs will collect 50% of the total settlement—approximately $67.5 million—in attorney fees and associated costs. The remaining $67.5 million will be distributed among class members.
Each claimant could receive roughly $0.34, before taxes, assuming all affected users participate in the claim.
The settlement still requires final approval, which is expected later this summer. Notices will be distributed to eligible Android users by email and through in-app notifications in the coming weeks. Payments are anticipated to be issued electronically once the court concludes the approval process.
A final hearing is scheduled for August 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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