Google fined $314.6 million for unlawful data collection

Technology Jul 04, 2025

A California jury just hit Google with a $314.6 million penalty for quietly gathering personal data from about 14 million Android users—even when their phones weren't in use.
The lawsuit claimed Google sent this info over cellular networks without asking, eating into people's paid data and using it for targeted ads.

Google to appeal the ruling

Google says it'll appeal, arguing that users agreed to this in the terms of service and that no one was actually harmed.
A spokesperson called the ruling a misunderstanding of how Android works behind the scenes.
This case only affects California residents for now, but a bigger nationwide lawsuit is set for trial in 2026—so how tech companies handle your data could be changing soon.