Google Location Tracking Privacy Class Action Settlement
Google · Google location history and geographic location tracking · Settlement Reached
About this case
The class action alleged that Google misled users into believing device settings could disable geographic location tracking while Google continued tracking their devices. A federal district court approved a settlement in 2024, and the Ninth Circuit upheld the settlement on August 26, 2026; the agreement provides no direct payments to class members and directs settlement funds toward attorney fees, administration, and nonprofit organizations.
Case overview
- Defendant company
- Product or service
- Google location history and geographic location tracking
- Court case number
- 5:18-cv-05062-EJD
- Case status
- Settlement Reached
- Lawsuit type
- Privacy
- Reported harm
- Privacy Security
Participation information
Settlement Claim
U.S. residents who used one or more mobile devices and whose location information Google stored while Location History was disabled at any time from 2014-01-01 through 2023-12-04 were included, subject to stated exclusions and valid exclusion requests.
No claim form or filing is required. Unless a class member timely excluded themselves, they were automatically included in the settlement and need take no action.
- Type
- Settlement Claim
- Status
- No action required
- Total settlement amount
- $62,000,000
- Payout
- No money is paid directly to settlement class members. The $62,000,000 settlement fund is used for privacy-focused nonprofit organizations, attorneys’ fees and costs, service awards, notice and administration costs, and taxes; Google also agreed to certain changes to its location-information practices and disclosures.
- Reported proof requirement
- No
Settlement distribution
The settlement does not provide direct payments to affected Google users.
No action is required from covered consumers under the described settlement. Settlement funds are allocated to attorney fees, administration, and nonprofit organizations addressing consumer privacy concerns.
- Type
- Other
- Status
- No action required
- Total settlement amount
- $62,000,000
- Payout
- No direct payment to class members; funds are allocated to attorney fees, settlement administration, and nonprofit organizations.
- Reported proof requirement
- No
Sources
- Google Location Tracking Privacy Class Action Settlement
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