Google has agreed to pay $135 million to resolve a nationwide class action accusing Android devices of sending users’ cellular data to the company without consent, the settlement announced by court papers says. The deal covers U.S. residents who used an Android mobile device to access the internet over a cellular network at any time from Nov. 12, 2017, through the date the settlement receives final court approval, and is expected to include roughly 100 million people.
Under the terms laid out in the settlement, eligible class members will receive a pro rata cash payment from the net settlement fund, with individual payments capped at $100. The notice to class members says no claim form is required; instead, those who receive a mailed or electronic notice can submit a payment election online using the notice ID and confirmation code included in the notice. Electronic payout methods may include Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, ACH transfer or a virtual Mastercard. The settlement administrator will begin issuing payments only after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval.
The $135 million fund will first cover settlement administration costs and attorneys’ fees and expenses. The agreement allows up to $1.5 million for administration, up to $39.825 million in attorneys’ fees, up to $750,000 in attorneys’ expenses, and up to $25,000 each (a total of $75,000) in service awards to class representatives. The remainder of the fund is designated for payments to eligible class members. The settlement filing sets an exclusion deadline of May 29, 2026, and schedules a final approval hearing for June 23, 2026.
The lawsuit alleged that Google’s Android operating system transmitted various types of information to Google using cellular data without users’ permission, and that some transfers occurred in the background even when devices were idle. Plaintiffs claimed Google could have limited those transfers to Wi‑Fi but did not, thereby using consumers’ cellular data for its own benefit. Google denied the allegations but agreed to the settlement to avoid further litigation and the cost and uncertainty of a trial.
The settlement excludes participants in Csupo v. Google LLC, a similar class action pending in Santa Clara County Superior Court (No. 19CV352557) that involved California residents; those individuals cannot also participate in this nationwide settlement. The company has also agreed to update disclosures and settings related to data transfers on Android devices as part of the agreement, although the settlement papers do not detail the precise scope or timing of those changes.
Class members who wish to opt out must do so by the May 29 exclusion deadline; remaining class members are eligible for payments once the court gives final approval and any appeals are resolved. The settlement notice reiterates that individual payments will depend on the number of qualifying claimants and the administrative deductions, and while payments are subject to a per-person cap of $100, actual distributions could be smaller depending on claims and allowable deductions from the fund.