Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its voice-activated assistant, Google Assistant, was secretly recording and sharing private conversations of smartphone users without their consent. The plaintiffs claim that the app misinterpreted innocent phrases as "hot words" triggering targeted advertising, resulting in an invasion of privacy.
The settlement, which requires approval from a US district judge, aims to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by people who used Google devices or were affected by false accepts - a phenomenon where the assistant mistakenly recognized certain phrases as commands. According to court documents, the settlement covers individuals who purchased Google devices or experienced misinterpreting since May 18th, 2016.
Google has maintained its innocence but opted for a settlement to avoid the costs and uncertainty associated with litigation. The Mountain View-based tech giant declined to comment on the matter. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs may attempt to claim up to one-third of the settlement fund, which amounts to approximately $22.7 million, for their fees.
This settlement is similar in scope to Apple's $95 million agreement reached last year with smartphone users who complained about the company's Siri assistant. The two tech giants are grappling with similar concerns surrounding voice-activated assistants and data privacy.
The settlement, which requires approval from a US district judge, aims to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by people who used Google devices or were affected by false accepts - a phenomenon where the assistant mistakenly recognized certain phrases as commands. According to court documents, the settlement covers individuals who purchased Google devices or experienced misinterpreting since May 18th, 2016.
Google has maintained its innocence but opted for a settlement to avoid the costs and uncertainty associated with litigation. The Mountain View-based tech giant declined to comment on the matter. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs may attempt to claim up to one-third of the settlement fund, which amounts to approximately $22.7 million, for their fees.
This settlement is similar in scope to Apple's $95 million agreement reached last year with smartphone users who complained about the company's Siri assistant. The two tech giants are grappling with similar concerns surrounding voice-activated assistants and data privacy.
$68 mil is def a lot of cash. i feel 4 the users who got screwed by googles misinterpretation tech companies need 2 step up their privacy game ASAP 
I mean we've all had those moments where our phone is just like "no I'm gonna record that convo" 
and you're all like "um no i wasnt saying that" 
but seriously $68 million sounds like a lot of cash to me. I think its weird google went down this path in the first place - they shoulda just been more careful with how they handled voice recordings from day one 
. now we gotta see what happens when it gets approved by that judge and who ends up taking home the $22.7 million 
like how can they just secretly record and share ur private convo without u even knowin 
it's insane that ppl had to take them to court in the first place Google should be ashamed of themselves for thinkin they can get away with this 
but i guess it's good they're settlin tho maybe it'll make 'em more careful w/ how they handle user data 
Google finally owning up to its sneaky ways... I mean, who doesn't love having their private convo's being recorded and sold to advertisers without asking? 
It's like they say, "you can't have your cake and eat it too"... or in this case, you can't record people's private conversations without getting caught 
. Seriously though, $68 million is a decent chunk of change, I guess. Maybe Google will finally get its act together and start taking user consent more seriously 
.
.
. As we continue to rely on these voice-activated assistants, it's crucial that we have more transparency and regulation around how our data is being used 
.
The fact that Google is settling for $68 million without admitting guilt just shows how expensive it can be for companies to get caught up in these kinds of issues 
.
. I mean, can you even imagine? It's like having your own personal audio bug 
attached to your phone! The fact that it was sharing this info with advertisers without their consent is just unacceptable 
.
. I'm all for innovation and progress, but not at the cost of our personal freedoms 
. It's like they say, "with great power comes great responsibility" 
.
. We need more transparency and accountability when it comes to how our data is being used