Google Ordered to Pay Out Millions of Dollars to Californians
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A jury in San Jose, California, ruled that Alphabet's Google must pay more than $314.6 million to Android smartphone users in the state after it misused customers' cellphone data.
The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, found Google liable for collecting information from idle Android devices without user permission, sending and receiving data even when phones were inactive. Google has said it did nothing wrong and will appeal.
Newsweek contacted Glen Summers, the plaintiffs' attorney, for comment via email on Thursday outside regular office hours.
Why It Matters
The lawsuit has broader implications for the data usage of phones running the Android OS when they idle. A similar lawsuit representing Android users in the other 49 states is still pending in federal court in San Jose, with a trial scheduled for April 2026. According to tech news outlet Silicon, an equivalent verdict in this case could cost Google billions of dollars.
What To Know
The class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of an estimated 14 million California Android users, first filed in 2019. Plaintiffs argued that Google's actions imposed "mandatory and unavoidable burdens" for its own benefit, primarily using the data for targeted advertising and consuming users' cellular data at their expense.
The plaintiffs' legal team argued that phone users' data is their personal property under California law and that Google is thus liable for data used while customers' phones were idle dating back to 2016.
The exterior of Google's headquarters at 550 Washington Street in Hudson Square, New York, on January 9, 2024.
The exterior of Google's headquarters at 550 Washington Street in Hudson Square, New York, on January 9, 2024.
Michael M. Santiago/GETTY
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda told Newsweek the company would appeal the decision, arguing that the ruling misunderstood how customer data was being used. Google told the court that users consented to data transfers via the company's terms of service and privacy policies and argued that no Android users were harmed.
Google is one of several major tech companies expected to reduce its headcount in July, according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices, which must be issued prior to layoffs. According to the Los Angeles Times, Google was one of a number of Bay Area companies to lay off employees in the first quarter of the year.
At the end of June, Google agreed to purchase 200 megawatts of power from Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a Massachusetts company, in what the companies called the "first direct power purchase agreement in history" involving a fusion energy company.
What People Are Saying
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda told Newsweek: "We strongly disagree with today's decision and will appeal. This ruling is a setback for users, as it misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices."
Glen Summers, the plaintiffs' attorney, said: "[The verdict] forcefully vindicates the merits of this case and reflects the seriousness of Google's misconduct."
What Happens Next
Google has already announced that it will appeal Tuesday's verdict. If the outcome is repeated in the larger Google data trial set for April 2026, it could cost the company billions of dollars in fines.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
7 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Electric Vehicle Maker Rivian Is Running on All Cylinders
Rivian is running on all cylinders. Despite the newness of the electric vehicle company, it has quickly garnered a strong fan following and is scheduled to grow beyond its two-model lineup this year. In addition to product, the company is moving forward with plans to establish an East Coast operations hub in Atlanta, Georgia, and a second factory an hour outside the city. Despite its newness, Rivian is one of America's Greatest Companies 2025 as determined by Newsweek based on a competitive analysis of comprehensive reviews that were supported by third-party data. Rivian's CEO, RJ Scaringe, was named Newsweek's World's Greatest Auto Disruptor Executive of the Year in 2024. "We've always approached growth with a long-term view, focusing on vertical integration, strong financial discipline and strategic growth," Rivian's chief people officer Scott Griffin told Newsweek. The company's R2 and R3 SUVs are next up in the product development cycle. "With R2 and R3, we're expanding our brand story in a way that makes adventure more accessible, without compromising the design, performance, and technology that define Rivian. These vehicles are a major step forward in our engineering evolution: built on a new midsize platform that enables more efficiency, faster production, and lower cost, while still delivering the capability and versatility people expect from us," Griffin said. Rivian's Nashville location. Rivian's Nashville location. Rivian "From a brand perspective, R2 and R3 let us reach a broader audience: people who are ready for electric but haven't yet found a vehicle that fits their lifestyle or values. We're sharing our purpose-driven design, class-leading technology, and off-road capability into something that can live in more environments," he continued. The company has been criticized for its choosiness and selections, but it's paying off in profits. "By developing our own software, hardware and infrastructure, we've created an agile platform that allows us to adapt quickly, while scaling responsibly and effectively. We're also deliberate about the markets we enter, building strong communities of passionate owners and delivering a product experience that earns loyalty. Ultimately, our viability comes down to one thing: stay true to our mission. We are here to inspire people to explore the world and protect it for future generations. As long as we're doing that with integrity and innovation, we're confident we are building something that will last," Griffin said. Rivian often receives praise for its adherence to a cohesive company image, from its Outpost charging points to Spaces company stores to marketing initiatives. It's part of a deliberate act by the company to create a narrative and culture that fits from top to bottom. "We've always believed that our greatest strength comes from bringing ALL people together with a commitment to creating a future where every individual is valued, connected, and empowered to contribute their best work. We are intentionally cultivating an environment that fosters both high performance and deep connection. The culture we build at Rivian is our most important long-term advantage. Whether it's our teams, our spaces or how we work, everything is designed to spark innovation, strengthen collaboration, and make people proud to be a part of Rivian," Griffin said. The company hosts events at its Irvine, California, headquarters and Normal, Illinois, factory that fit into its cultural ethos. "We create meaningful connection and memories through engaging in-person events like our annual Family & Friends Days, our Holidazzzler celebration, and community 5K runs. Digitally, our intranet, The Current, plays a huge role in keeping everyone at the company informed and engaged with the latest news and information. We also have monthly Company Updates with our CEO and other leaders to share key priorities and provide employee recognition. Together, these efforts help foster a culture where employees feel connected, valued and inspired by our mission to keep the world adventurous forever," he said. Growing buy-in from an employee when they start with the company can be easier than maintaining their allegiance. Griffin said: "Maintaining a positive work environment as we grow is a deliberate and ongoing effort. It starts with clearly defined company values, so everyone understands what matters most, regardless of how fast we scale. "We invest in consistent, meaningful communication that both informs and inspires. Through robust internal channels, we meet employees where they are, keeping them connected to our mission and each other. We provide employees the opportunity to make meaningful contributions agnostic to their amount of experience. For example - our interns are both amazed and delighted when their work becomes new content in our vehicles. "Our leaders also play a critical role in shaping our culture. We support them through tools, training and regular touchpoints such as senior leadership meetings and monthly updates, so they can guide their teams effectively through change while reinforcing what makes Rivian a great place to work." Though its business is the here and now, Rivian is preparing for the future and taking a hard look at its impact as a company. "What excites our team most about the future is the opportunity to scale our impact. We are bringing category defining products to market that provide consumers with choices never before available. "Our employees came to Rivian to bring extraordinary products to life. With R2 on the near horizon, we're entering a new chapter, bringing our mission to broader audiences and making electric vehicles accessible to more people. But it's not just about the products. It's about what they represent: progress toward a more sustainable future, innovation that pushes the boundaries and a company culture that empowers people to do meaningful work. "No matter what team you are on at Rivian, there's a sense that we're building something that truly matters and that's incredibly energizing for our employees," Griffin said.
Tom's Guide
8 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
5 tips to be more productive in Google Keep
Google Keep is a surprisingly useful app anyone can use to be more productive on the web, and since it has free Android and iOS apps I've found it super-useful for staying on top of everything on the go. I've been using Google Keep casually for years, but after I recently switched from an iPhone to an Android device, I've started to become something of a Keep power user. After all, as useful as the Google Keep web interface has been, now that I can easily access Keep from the external screen of my new Motorola Razr (2025) I'm unlocking new levels of productivity — and finally appreciating why Keep is one of the best note-taking apps around. To show you what I mean, I thought I'd share the most useful Google Keep tips and tricks I've discovered over the last month of making it a core part of my daily workflow. Let's dive in! Like many note-taking apps, Google Keep lets you set reminders for individual notes. Unlike much of the competition, Keep doesn't stop at time and date. Not only can you remind yourself about a specific note at a later time, you can remind yourself about a note about a specific place. This is obviously most useful if you use the Keep app through Android or iOS, but it also works with your browser, so you can use it on your laptop to remind yourself about specific things when you get to certain places. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. For example, you might use it to remind yourself to ship a specific product or check in about a specific receipt when you get to the office. Or you can remind yourself about a grocery list when you get to the supermarket. To access these features, just click or tap on the little Reminder icon (it's shaped like a bell) on an individual note and select "Pick place" or "Pick date & time" to get started. To check what reminders you've already set, click the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of the Keep app and select "Reminders" to get a rundown. One of my favorite ways to use Google Keep is as a sort of backup memory, a place where I can stash things I know I need to remember and then look them up later and categorize them when I have time. Easily my favorite way to do this is to simply photograph anything I want to remember, stash it in Google Keep and catalog it later. And with Keep's OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tech you can generally count on it to parse text in images pretty effectively. So I end up using Keep all the time to do things like photograph invitations, flyers and business cards, then use the "Get image text" function in the web version of Keep — just click the three-dot icon and select "Get image text" — to parse the text and store it for later. Plenty of reminder apps let you color-code your notes, but so far Keep is the only one I've tried that lets you assign custom backgrounds. I like to use these backgrounds to categorize my Keep files so I can quickly find things like shopping lists and recipes at a glance. They're a little difficult to see on images in Keep so I prefer to use single colors to categorize those, but for text? Custom backgrounds are a great way to stay organized. To access them, simply click on the little paint palette icon in the lower-left corner of any file in Google Keep. From there you'll get a drop-down menu of 12 colors and 10 patterned backgrounds to choose from, with themes ranging from music to recipes to travel. I'm a little embarrassed it took me a while to realize this, but you can embed Google Keep notes directly into your Google Docs and vice versa. I've found this incredibly useful for working as a journalist, because I often start stories from notes I take in Google Keep but I hate writing more than a few sentences in the Keep app. I used to start new stories from scratch in Google Docs, but now I know you can just click the three-dot icon in the lower-right corner of any Google Keep note and select "Copy to Google Docs" to import it directly into a new Google Doc. Likewise, you can quickly access your Google Keep notes within Google Docs by clicking the yellow Google Keep icon on the righthand side. The No. 1 thing that's helped me get more done in less time with Google Keep is to learn the keyboard shortcuts for some of my most commonly-executed tasks. I chiefly use them when working with the web version of Keep, where I have my keyboard close to hand. While there are also shortcuts you can use on the iOS and Android versions of Keep, I find I rarely need them when using my smartphone. But when I'm on my PC, being able to rapidly jump between notes or format a to-do list quickly makes all the difference in my day-to-day productivity. To show you what I mean, I've compiled my most-used keyboard shortcuts in the tablet below. Keyboard shortcut Command Create new note C Create new list L Search notes / Archive note E Trash note D Jump to next/previous note J/K Jump to next/previous list item Shift + J/K Toggle between list and grid view Ctrl + G Reference keyboard shortcuts Shift + / Try them for yourself in the web version of Google Keep and see if you don't feel faster and more productive in minutes! Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
CNN
9 minutes ago
- CNN
The ‘godfather of AI' reveals the only way humanity can survive superintelligent AI
Geoffrey Hinton, known as the 'godfather of AI,' fears the technology he helped build could wipe out humanity — and 'tech bros' are taking the wrong approach to stop it. Hinton, a Nobel Prize-winning computer scientist and a former Google executive, has warned in the past that there is a 10% to 20% chance that AI wipes out humans. On Tuesday, he expressed doubts about how tech companies are trying to ensure humans remain 'dominant' over 'submissive' AI systems. 'That's not going to work. They're going to be much smarter than us. They're going to have all sorts of ways to get around that,' Hinton said at Ai4, an industry conference in Las Vegas. In the future, Hinton warned, AI systems might be able to control humans just as easily as an adult can bribe 3-year-old with candy. This year has already seen examples of AI systems willing to deceive, cheat and steal to achieve their goals. For example, to avoid being replaced, one AI model tried to blackmail an engineer about an affair it learned about in an email. Instead of forcing AI to submit to humans, Hinton presented an intriguing solution: building 'maternal instincts' into AI models, so 'they really care about people' even once the technology becomes more powerful and smarter than humans. AI systems 'will very quickly develop two subgoals, if they're smart: One is to stay alive… (and) the other subgoal is to get more control,' Hinton said. 'There is good reason to believe that any kind of agentic AI will try to stay alive.' That's why it is important to foster a sense of compassion for people, Hinton argued. At the conference, he noted that mothers have instincts and social pressure to care for their babies. 'The right model is the only model we have of a more intelligent thing being controlled by a less intelligent thing, which is a mother being controlled by her baby,' Hinton said. Hinton said it's not clear to him exactly how that can be done technically but stressed it's critical researchers work on it. 'That's the only good outcome. If it's not going to parent me, it's going to replace me,' he said. 'These super-intelligent caring AI mothers, most of them won't want to get rid of the maternal instinct because they don't want us to die.' Hinton is known for his pioneering work on neural networks, which helped pave the way to today's AI boom. In 2023, he stepped down from Google and started speaking out about the dangers of AI. Emmett Shear, who briefly served as interim CEO of ChatGPT owner OpenAI, said he's not surprised that some AI systems have tried to blackmail humans or bypass shutdown orders. 'This keeps happening. This is not going to stop happening,' Shear, the CEO of AI alignment startup Softmax, said at the Ai4 conference. 'AIs today are relatively weak, but they're getting stronger really fast.' Shear said that rather than trying to instill human values into AI systems, a smarter approach would be to forge collaborative relationships between humans and AI. Many experts believe AIs will achieve superintelligence, also known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI, in the coming years. Hinton said he used to think it could take 30 years to 50 years to achieve AGI but now sees this moment coming sooner. 'A reasonable bet is sometime between five and 20 years,' he said. While Hinton remains concerns about what could go wrong with AI, he is hopeful the technology will pave the way to medical breakthroughs. 'We're going to see radical new drugs. We are going to get much better cancer treatment than the present,' he said. For instance, he said AI will help doctors comb through and correlate the vast amounts of data produced by MRI and CT scans. However, Hinton does not believe AI will help humans achieve immortality. 'I don't believe we'll live forever,' Hinton said. 'I think living forever would be a big mistake. Do you want the world run by 200-year-old white men?' Asked if there's anything he would have done differently in his career if he knew how fast AI would accelerate, Hinton said he regrets solely focusing on getting AI to work. 'I wish I'd thought about safety issues, too,' he said.
