Google Hit With $425 Million Fine for Privacy Breach

Tech giant Google has once again found itself in the spotlight this time for the wrong reasons. A U.S. jury in San Francisco has ordered the company to pay $425 million after determining that it mishandled users’ private data.

The lawsuit accused Google of continuing to collect information from millions of people even after they switched off data tracking settings. Many users believed turning off “Web & App Activity” in their Google accounts would stop tracking, but the case argued otherwise.

In total, nearly 100 million users across more than 170 million devices were affected. While the jury stopped short of saying Google acted maliciously, the panel still found the company responsible for violating privacy rights on a massive scale.

Google’s Reaction

As expected, Google isn’t taking the ruling lightly. A company spokesperson has already confirmed plans to appeal, claiming the jury misunderstood how Google’s products actually function. According to Google, when users disable personalization, the company respects those choices.

A Pattern of Privacy Problems

This isn’t the first time Google has been dragged into court over privacy concerns. Earlier this year, the company agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle a separate case in Texas involving the misuse of biometric data such as facial recognition and voice information. The latest fine only adds to the growing list of legal battles challenging how Google handles personal data.

What It Means for Everyday Users

For everyday internet users, this case serves as a reminder that even when you turn off certain settings, your data may still be collected in ways you don’t realize. As lawsuits continue, there may be stronger pressure on big tech companies to be more transparent and possibly new regulations to better protect digital privacy.