Did Your Google Devices Record You Without Permission? Here’s The Scoop

(KMDL-FM) Think of all the electronic devices you have in your home or office. Now, think of how many of those devices have a microphone? It's that kind of "hiding in plain sight" technology that has landed tech giant Google in hot water over allegations that devices made and sold in the United States that used Google Assistant recorded private conversations without the permission of the user.

To make matters worse, the lawsuit and subsequent settlement suggest that Google Assistant not only illegally recorded private conversations without consumer consent, but the corporate giant then sold those communications to third-party clients for almost a decade.

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Court documents suggest the "sharing" of communication between Google and a third party at your expense occurred between May 18, 2016, and March 19, 2026. The amount of money agreed to in the settlement is $68 million.

How Did Google Assistant Devices Record Private Conversations?

According to court records, the devices illegally recorded conversations whenever the words "Okay Google" or "Hey Google" were spoken in the vicinity of the device. Google has suggested the recordings were made to help improve Google Assistant's ability to recognize speech.

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The lawsuit suggests that consumers would not have knowingly purchased a device or devices that secretly monitor and listen to their conversations. Google has denied any wrongdoing, but it did agree to the settlement.

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The case involves two different class action suits. You might be elegible for both of them. One is the Purchaser Settlement Class; the other is the Privacy Settlement Class.

If you purchased a Google Assistant-enabled device between May 18, 2016, and March 19, 2026, you are part of the purchaser class.  If you or a family member used Google Assistant during that same time frame, you are part of the privacy class.

How To Be a Part of the Google Settlement

To be considered for the settlement, you'll need to fill out this claim form. You may have already been contacted via email about this settlement. In that email, you should have received a unique ID and a unique PIN. You will need those to submit a claim that way.

How Much Will Google Assistant Settlement Pay?

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The actual settlement amount each claimant receives will be determined by the number of claims filed and paid. Your settlement payment will be what is left after administration costs, fees, taxes, and other expenses have been paid from the settlement fund. 

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Maybe you'll actually be compensated enough for a cup of coffee or a nice meal. Of course, you'd probably only be compensated enough for one meal. Just in case you need some ideas.