A United States federal jury has ordered Google to pay $425 million in damages for secretly collecting data from mobile apps, even when users activated privacy settings.
The ruling came after a class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 accused the tech giant of intercepting and selling users’ app activity without consent.
The case ended with a jury verdict in San Francisco on Wednesday, marking another major legal setback for Google.
According to the plaintiffs, Google tracked and sold sensitive app data despite promising users control over their privacy.
Attorneys described the company’s assurances as “blatant lies.”
Google, however, rejected the verdict. Company spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the decision misunderstood how its products work.
He insisted that when users turn off personalization, Google honors that choice. The company confirmed it would appeal the ruling.
This ruling comes just a day after Google won a different legal battle.
A Washington, D.C. federal judge dismissed the U.S. government’s push to force the company to sell its Chrome browser in an antitrust case.
Privacy and data use remain a growing challenge for Google.
The company relies heavily on targeted advertising, which depends on tracking user behavior.
In recent years, Google has sought alternatives to internet “cookies” while facing increasing scrutiny from regulators worldwide.
The pressure on Google intensified in Europe on Wednesday. France’s data protection authority (CNIL) issued record fines against both Google and fast-fashion giant Shein for violating cookie consent laws.
Google was fined €325 million ($350 million), while Shein received a €150 million penalty. Both firms failed to secure clear user consent before installing advertising trackers, according to CNIL.
This is not Google’s first penalty in France. It previously paid €100 million in 2020 and €150 million in 2021 for cookie violations.
The company said it would review CNIL’s latest decision and emphasized compliance with earlier directives.
The twin blows an American jury ruling and French fines underscore the global pressure on Google to balance its profitable ad model with user privacy rights.
