A court ordered Google to pay $425 million after finding the company misled 98 million users about data collection through its “Web & App Activity” setting[1]. The case revealed Google continued gathering user data via Firebase, a monitoring database embedded in 97% of top Android apps and 54% of leading iOS apps, even after users disabled data collection[1:1].
Google’s internal communications showed the company was “intentionally vague” about its data collection practices because being transparent “could sound alarming to users,” according to district judge Richard Seeborg[1:2].
This ruling adds to Google’s recent privacy settlements, including:
- $392 million paid to 40 states in 2023 for location tracking violations
- $40 million to Washington state for similar location tracking issues
- $1.38 billion to Texas in 2025 over location tracking and incognito mode claims[1:3]
Google plans to appeal the $425 million verdict, with spokesperson Jose Castaneda stating “This decision misunderstands how our products work” and asserting that Google honors user privacy choices[1:4].
A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
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Again they show us privacy policy never works, libre software does.
Next you’re going to tell me that politicians don’t tell the truth.
They continued harvesting data from users after the users explicitly disabled an option to shut that off. And for that, they owe $4 a person. When are we going to starting fining these companies properly? How about a thousand dollars a person for an infraction like this? Maybe a $98 billion fine might get them to start caring.
Even with the small amount per user, they better be forced to pay in real checks or similar. Not in Play Store gift cards/credits, as I imagine that is what they will want to do if their appeal fails.
$425m is chump change to google, and they’re still trying to get out of it. Shows how unfathomably greedy these parasites are.
“google mislead ____ about privacy”…no! Really?! They would never!
Don’t they have a rule, “don’t be evil.” oh wait.
they got rid of the “don’t” part about the same time they bought youtube or so…maybe they waited until the moment they started auto-un-subbing people from certain channels, that’s where everything really got fucked up, it started from that
Yes, when it was still Anakim Skywalker leading the company
Isn’t he now?
…as Dard Vader
Yes, a big surprise
“Google plans to appeal the $425 million verdict with a judge who will ‘mysteriously’ buy a mansion after the case”
What are you guys gonna do with your nickel?
Don’t downplay it – it’s a whole $4! That’s a bowl of soup for all of your privacy. Until they appeal it, that is.
That’s 3 bowls if the soup is on sale. I literally just bought some for $1.25 a can. Though, that’s before taxes.
You could feed your whole family with that much soup!
Fucking family of 1.
Oh, there’s no way anyone is getting anywhere near (settlement total/number of people). That’s before the lawyer cut.
Court finds I deceived people, I now have to pay 5¢