Google Users Demand an Additional $2.36 Billion in Profits After Privacy Verdict

Google is facing a new wave of legal trouble. U.S. users who recently won a $425 million privacy lawsuit are now demanding that the tech giant hand over an additional $2.36 billion — allegedly profits earned from secretly tracking user data without consent.

After the Verdict, Users Push for Billions More In a new motion filed in federal court in San Francisco, lawyers representing 98 million U.S. Google users urged Judge Richard Seeborg to compel Alphabet’s Google to surrender the profits it allegedly made by collecting app activity data even after users disabled key tracking features. According to the filing, the $2.36 billion figure represents a “conservative estimate” of Google’s gains from its Web & App Activity feature — which plaintiffs say misled users into believing their data wouldn’t be collected once it was turned off. The jury previously ruled that Google’s conduct was “highly offensive, harmful, and without consent.” Plaintiffs argue that the initial award was “clearly insufficient to address the ongoing and irreparable harm” caused by Google’s practices, noting that the company has not updated its privacy disclosures or collection methods despite the verdict.

Google Defends Itself: “The Data Was Anonymized” Google denies any wrongdoing and maintains that it complied with privacy laws.

A company spokesperson confirmed that Google plans to appeal and insisted that all data collected was anonymized, claiming that users have meaningful control through privacy settings. The company also argued that the lawsuit misrepresents how its products function, calling the verdict legally flawed.

Google Seeks to Overturn the Verdict and Decertify the Class In a separate filing, Google asked the court to vacate the verdict and decertify the class action representing 98 million users and 174 million devices.

The company argued that privacy expectations vary widely depending on which apps users used and their individual understanding of privacy, making the case unsuitable for class-wide treatment. Google maintains there were insufficient common issues to justify a single collective judgment.

Eight Years of Tracking and “Deceptive” Privacy Settings Originally filed in 2020, the lawsuit alleges that Google secretly accessed mobile user data for eight years, including app usage patterns and personal identifiers, even after users opted out of tracking in their account settings. The jury sided with the plaintiffs on two of three privacy claims, finding that Google breached user consent and privacy assurances. The initial lawsuit sought $31 billion in damages, which would have been the largest privacy payout in U.S. history.

A Landmark Case for Data Privacy If the court rules again in favor of the plaintiffs, the disgorgement could become one of the largest financial penalties ever imposed in a U.S. privacy case. Beyond the money, the case highlights growing tension between tech giants and data privacy advocates, as regulators push for greater transparency and accountability in the digital age.

#Google , #usa , #Finance , #technews , #worldnews

Stay one step ahead – follow our profile and stay informed about everything important in the world of cryptocurrencies! Notice: ,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“