A long-running dispute over voice assistant privacy has moved toward resolution, as Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle allegations that its digital assistant improperly recorded user conversations.
The proposed class-action settlement was filed late Friday in a federal court in San Jose, California, and will require approval from U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman. The lawsuit accused Google, a unit of Alphabet, of violating user privacy by recording and sharing private conversations captured by Google Assistant.
According to the complaint, Google Assistant sometimes activated unintentionally and recorded conversations even when users did not say the intended “hot words” such as “Hey Google” or “Okay Google.” These incidents, referred to as “false accepts,” allegedly led to private audio being used for targeted advertising.
Google Assistant, similar to Apple’s Siri, is designed to respond only when specific voice commands are detected. Users claimed they later received advertisements linked to conversations they believed were private, prompting concerns about surveillance and misuse of personal data.
Google denied any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to avoid the cost, risk, and uncertainty of prolonged litigation, according to court documents. The company, based in Mountain View, California, declined to comment publicly following the filing.
The settlement applies to users who purchased Google devices or were affected by unintended Google Assistant activations dating back to May 18, 2016. If approved, eligible users may be able to claim compensation from the settlement fund.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers are expected to seek up to 1/3 of the total settlement amount, or around $22.7 million, to cover legal fees and related costs.
The case mirrors similar legal action faced by other technology companies. In December 2024, Apple agreed to a $95 million settlement with smartphone users over comparable claims involving its voice assistant.
The agreement highlights growing scrutiny around voice-enabled technologies and how companies collect, store, and use audio data. As voice assistants become more common in everyday devices, privacy practices remain a key concern for regulators and users alike.
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