In January of this year, Google reached a preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit (Taylor v. Google LLC) with Android users, agreeing to pay $135 million — which plaintiffs’ attorneys call the largest „conversion“ settlement in history. The lawsuit alleged that since November 12, 2017, Google programmed the Android system so that devices continued to transmit data to Google servers over cellular networks in the background, even after users closed apps, turned off location sharing, or locked their screens — silently consuming users’ purchased data without effective means of blocking it. The settlement requires Google to obtain explicit consent during initial device setup, update the Google Play Services terms, and provide easier-to-use controls for background data transmission; Google denies any wrongdoing but agreed to settle. The settlement website is now live. U.S. users who used an Android device between November 12, 2017, and January 2026 (California residents are already covered by another separate settlement last year) must fill out an electronic form and link a payment method; the individual cap is $100. A final approval hearing will be held on June 23, and payments will be distributed only after the court reviews and approves. Plaintiffs’ attorneys intend to seek up to $39.8 million (29.5% of the total settlement amount).
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