Coming Soon: $68M Google Device Privacy Class Action Settlement

Coming Soon: $68M Google Device Privacy Class Action Settlement

Editor & Community Manager

Update: The Google Assistant Privacy settlement was granted preliminary approval on March 19, 2026.

Consumers who purchased a Google device or had their communications recorded by Google Assistant between May 16, 2016 and the date of preliminary approval may be eligible to submit a claim for a cash payment from a proposed class action settlement . The pending settlement is a culmination of almost 13 years of litigation over alleged privacy violations.

Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging Google Assistant recorded users’ communications without intentional activation and disclosed those recordings to third parties in violation of privacy rights and Google’s own privacy policies. Class counsel filed a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement in federal court on Jan. 23, 2026.

Who can file a claim for a Google privacy payout?

Class members may be included in one or both of the following classes:

• Purchaser settlement class: Any user who purchased a Google-made device in the United States or its territories between May 16, 2016, and the date of preliminary approval of the settlement. They must have made the purchase either directly from Google or a third-party retailer. Purchases include Google Home, Home Mini, Home Max, Google Nest Hub, Next Hub Max and Pixel smartphones.
• Privacy settlement class: Any Google Assistant user or member of a user’s household in the United States or its territories between May 16, 2016, and the date of preliminary approval whose communications Google Assistant recorded as a result of a “false accept” (when the device records without intentional activation) or disclosed to a third-party review vendor. Google Assistant devices are any device with Google Assistant pre-installed or available for download. This includes non-Google devices, such as certain smartphones, smart speakers, smart displays or smart TVs with a microphone.

“Users” are individuals whose Google accounts were associated with at least one Google Assistant-enabled device during the class period.

Are there any exclusions from the class?

Household devices, such as thermostats, vacuums, humidifiers and other electronic tools and devices that are not equipped with a microphone, or that do not have Google Assistant pre-installed and do not have the capability of having a Google Assistant application downloaded do not qualify for the settlement.

How much will the settlement payment be?

Class members can submit a claim to receive one or both of the following pro rata cash payments:

• Purchaser settlement class: Class members can claim up to three Google-made devices. Each eligible device is worth four points for a maximum of 12 points. The settlement administrator will determine the final payment amount by the total number of claims filed.
• Privacy settlement class: Class members submitting a privacy claim will receive one point. The settlement administrator will determine the final payment amount by the total number of claims filed.

The settlement administrator will determine the cash value of each point by dividing the net settlement fund by the total number of points all valid claimants claim.

Example payment calculation

Suppose the net settlement fund is $45,000,000 after deductions, and there are 1,000,000 total points claimed between both classes:

• Each point would be worth $45 ($45,000,000 / 1,000,000 points).
• A purchaser settlement class member claiming three devices (12 points) would receive $540 (12 × $45).
• A privacy settlement class member with one point would receive $45.