Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused the company of secretly recording users’ conversations through its voice assistant and sharing that data with advertisers.
The lawsuit, filed on January 23, claimed Google’s voice-activated tools—including Nest speakers—captured audio even when users did not say “Hey Google,” violating privacy expectations.
Plaintiffs said they later received targeted ads linked to private conversations.
Just days after the case was filed, Google reached a settlement without admitting wrongdoing. According to Reuters, the agreement covers users who purchased Google devices or experienced accidental activations dating back to May 2016.
Google is not alone in facing such claims. Apple previously settled a similar lawsuit over Siri for $95 million, with affected users receiving payouts earlier this year.
How much individual Google users may receive from the settlement has not yet been disclosed.