Federal Jury Fines Google $425 Million for Privacy Violations

A federal jury in San Francisco ordered Alphabet's Google to pay $425 million in compensatory damages for violating the privacy rights of nearly 100 million users. The jury found that Google continued to collect and use data from users who had disabled the Web & App Activity tracking feature, including through third-party apps like Uber, Venmo, and Instagram, over an eight-year period. Plaintiffs argued that Google falsely assured users they could control and stop data collection, while Google maintained it had user permission and disclosed ongoing data collection. The jury found Google liable for invasion of privacy and intrusion upon seclusion but did not find violations of California’s Computer Fraud and Abuse Act or malice, thus no punitive damages were awarded. Google acknowledged the verdict but denied any wrongdoing. The plaintiffs had initially sought more than $31 billion in damages, but the jury’s award was limited to compensatory damages.