Google users have days left to claim part of a $68 million settlement

Roughly five years ago, one of the world’s most popular tech brands faced a major lawsuit alleging a breach of customer privacy.

This story originally appeared on MySA, a Hearst publication.

Now, following Google’s agreement to settle for $68 million, people can file a claim to determine whether they’re eligible for a share of the payout.

Is the Google Assistant privacy litigation a legitimate case?

Yes. Seven plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint against Google on Aug. 2, 2021, according to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The lawsuit claims that between May 18, 2016, and March 19, 2026, Google Assistant was able to “activate and record communications” even when a user did not intentionally activate it with a trigger word like “OK, Google” or manually turn on the Google Assistant feature on their device. The lawsuit specifically mentions the company’s Google Home and Google Home Mini products.

Plaintiffs define these events as “False Accepts” and allege that Google “wrongfully collects, uses, and discloses user audio recordings from False Accepts, including to improve the speech recognition abilities of Google Assistant.” They added that this violates customers’ privacy rights and “constitutes a breach of the privacy assurances that Google makes to users in its Privacy Policy.”

Am I eligible for the Google lawsuit?

There are two settlement classes: the Purchaser Settlement Class and the Privacy Settlement Class. The settlement website states that anyone who meets the following requirements is considered a class member in one of those categories.

• Purchaser Settlement Class: Anyone who purchased a Google-Made Device in the U.S. or its territories between May 18, 2016 and March 19, 2026.
• Privacy Settlement Class: Anyone who was a user of Google Assistant or was a member of a user’s household between May 18, 2016 and March 19, 2026, “and whose communications were recorded or otherwise obtained by Google Assistant as a result of a False Accept or disclosed to any third-party review vendor.”

For more information, visit the settlement website’s “FAQ’s” page. If you’re unsure if you qualify, you can email info@GoogleAssistantPrivacyLitigation.com with questions or call the toll-free number at 1-877-411-4704.

How can I join the Google class action lawsuit?

Complete and submit a valid claim form by Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. The claim form is available on the settlement website, accessible by clicking here. A person does not need to have received an email notice to submit it.

However, some folks received an email notice that included a Unique ID and PIN. Anyone who did should use those codes when submitting their form. Anyone who is a minor must have their claim form submitted and signed by their parent or legal guardian.

How much will I receive from the Google settlement?

According to the court’s long-form notice, it’s unclear how much each person will receive at this time. The net settlement fund amount of $68 million will be divided proportionally among members of the settlement and privacy classes who file forms by the deadline. Court documents state that the payout plan will utilize a point-based system.

“Claimants who are members of the Purchaser Settlement Class will be assigned four (4) points for every eligible Google-Made Device included in their Claim, up to a cap of three (3) Google-Made Devices,” the court notice states. “Claimants who are members of the Privacy Settlement Class will be assigned one (1) point. Money will be paid proportionally based on the total number of points for each Claimant.”

How do I get my money from the Google lawsuit?

Approved claimants will receive their money once the court grants final approval of the settlement. A fairness hearing to discuss this is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026, at 9 a.m. PT in California. If appeals are filed, the disbursement process may be delayed.

The court has not decided who is right or whether Google did anything wrong. Rather, “class representatives and their attorneys think the settlement is best for all settlement class members,” the court notice states.