A privacy lawsuit forced Google to pay up after claims its devices secretly recorded users, according to The Hill. The $68 million settlement targets alleged misuse of Google Assistant across phones, speakers, and other smart devices.
Plaintiffs said conversations were captured without activation phrases like “Hey Google,” then used to target ads. Google denied wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid a prolonged court fight.
The deal now awaits approval from a federal judge in California. Individual payouts remain unclear after legal fees, mirroring a similar $95 million settlement involving Apple’s Siri.
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