Google Agrees to $135M Settlement Over Android Cellular Data Collection

Google agreed to a preliminary $135 million class action settlement in Taylor v. Google LLC over allegations that Android devices transmitted cellular data to Google without users’ consent, including while phones were idle and apps were closed. The proposed settlement covers roughly 100 million U.S. Android users who used an Android device with a cellular data plan from Nov. 12, 2017 until final approval, though Google denied wrongdoing and said it settled to avoid further litigation.

Eligible users can file claims for payments that may reach up to $100, with final amounts depending on participation levels and deductions for fees and costs. As part of the agreement, Google will revise Google Play terms to better disclose passive data transfers, obtain user consent during device setup, and stop collecting data entirely when the "allow background data usage" setting is turned off. A final approval hearing is scheduled for June 23, and payments would be issued only after court approval and any appeals are resolved.