Google to pay $68M to settle claims its voice assistant secretly recorded users
The settlement follows allegations that Google Assistant activated without consent and captured private conversations.
Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its voice assistant technology secretly recorded users’ private conversations without their knowledge or consent.
The proposed settlement, filed in California federal court, stems from a lawsuit brought on January 23 claiming that Google Assistant was sometimes activated unintentionally and recorded audio that was then transmitted to Google’s servers.
According to the complaint, Android devices and other products running Google Assistant are designed to begin recording only after detecting trigger phrases such as “Hey Google” or “Okay Google.” But plaintiffs allege the system occasionally activated on its own, capturing private conversations even when users had not intentionally engaged the assistant.
While Google acknowledges that voice commands are processed by sending audio recordings to its servers, the lawsuit argues that unintended activations resulted in unlawful collection of personal communications.
Google Assistant is built into a wide range of devices, including smartphones, smart speakers, laptops, tablets and wireless headphones.
Google said it agreed to the settlement to avoid prolonged litigation. The deal still requires approval by US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman.
The case echoes similar allegations across the tech industry. Earlier this month, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing its Siri voice assistant of listening in on users’ private conversations without consent.