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Google to pay $68 million to settle a lawsuit related to its voice assistant. The case said Google Assistant sometimes recorded private talks without permission. The settlement is waiting for a US judge’s approval.
People in the lawsuit said Google Assistant sometimes started listening by mistake. Words that sounded like “Hey Google” or “Okay Google” could trigger the device. These recordings included personal talks about jobs, money, and family. Some of the information was later used to show ads.
Google said it did nothing wrong. However, the company settled to avoid a long court fight. The US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman in San Jose, California, now needs to approve the deal.
This is not the first time a tech company has faced this problem. Apple had a similar case with Siri and paid $95 million to settle in 2025. Cases like this show that privacy is a major concern for voice assistant users.
The $68 million settlement fund will cover claims dating back to 2016. Court documents indicate that a portion of the money may go toward legal fees and administrative costs. Remaining funds will likely reach affected users through a claims process. Final payout amounts or the amount per person or per device are not clear yet.
Privacy advocates view the case as a warning sign for the entire tech sector. Smart devices often operate in the background. The problem of accidental activation continues to exist as an ongoing technical difficulty. The regulators are currently assessing how businesses manage their voice assistant data together with their consumer consent frameworks.
The lawsuit also raises broader questions about AI regulation. Voice assistants play a key role in everyday digital life. Lawmakers and courts now expect stronger safeguards around listening features and data used for advertising. Companies face growing expectations to prove that innovation does not compromise user privacy.
Google is now replacing Google Assistant with its new AI tool called Gemini. Experts say voice assistants still collect large volumes of user data, so privacy is still an important issue.
The case highlights that tech companies must strictly implement measures that safeguard their users’ private information. People want smart devices to be safe and not listen in on private conversations without permission.
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