Do You Own an Android Phone? Claim a Part of Google's $135M Data Harvesting Settlement Soon

Google's settlement with Android users would resolve the lawsuit and alter how the company manages its terms of service, though not all users will receive financial compensation.

4 min read

If you have an Android phone and you live in the US, you may be eligible to claim part of an upcoming $135 million settlement payout. The case centers on the allegation (PDF) that Google "effectively forces users to subsidize its surveillance by secretly programming Android devices to constantly transmit user information" using the very same cellular data that customers purchased themselves.

The class-action lawsuit Joseph Taylor v. Google (PDF) alleges that, starting in 2017, Google updated Android OS to automatically collect cellular data via carriers, with no way for users to opt out. The lawsuit alleges that this data collection occurred even when people took steps such as disabling location tracking or closing apps.

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