Phrases like “Hey Google” or “Okay Google” have become an indispensable part of our lives, with smart devices serving as silent spectators that we often forget. However, a recent legal action against the tech giant behind the voice-activated assistant raised hefty allegations that Google was inappropriately spying on smartphone users and invading their privacy.
Reuters reported that the company had reached a tentative $68 million settlement — while denying any wrongdoing.
As per a preliminary class action settlement filed late Friday night (US time) in the San Jose California federal court, Google has decided in favour of the millions-worth payout to avoid the risk, cost and uncertainty, Reuters reported. US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman’s approval is pending.
Who will get the Google privacy lawsuit proceeds?
US reports indicated that those eligible for the payout will have bought Google devices (or may have been subjected to ‘false accepts’) dating back to May 2016.
On the other hand, plaintiffs’ lawyers may also ask for up to one-third of the settlement, accounting for about $22.7 million for legal fees.
Google Assistant lawsuit: Privacy violation allegations explored
This past week’s settlement is tied to a lawsuit filed by several Google device owners who accused the tech giant’s voice assistant of recording their private conversations without their knowledge, as per CBS News.
As per the suit, users claimed that their devices recorded them even though Google had said that the voice assistant would only register their speech upon the utterance of the activation phrase like “Hey Google.” Consumers suggested that Google Assistant went ahead with the misconduct despite them never using the suggested language.
Some users even alleged that Google devices had captured sensitive conversations involving financial matters and employment. It was also claimed that the recordings were eventually shared with advertisers for the purpose of pushing for targeted advertising.
While Google rejected claims that it did not send audio anywhere while the Google Assistant was in standby mode, the lawsuit stated that the voice assistant would sometimes accidentally turn on. Users alleged that it led the phone to think that they had used the activation phrase even though they had not, and then continued to record private conversations.
If approved, the settlement will allow Google users to submit claims for up to three devices, according to CBS News. The amount they received after that will vary on the basis of how many claims are submitted.
The recent Google class-action lawsuit mirrors a similar $95 million Apple case settlement, wherein Siri voice assistant had been accused of prying in on private conversations. Apple device owners impacted in the process are currently getting payments ranging from about $8 to $40 per person.