Google to pay $68 million over voice assistant ‘spying’ – media

The US tech giant has been sued by smartphone users alleging their devices recorded conversations

US tech giant Google has reached a preliminary agreement to pay $68 million to settle a lawsuit alleging its voice-activated assistant spied on smartphone users, Reuters reported on Monday, citing court filings.

According to preliminary calculations reported by The Verge, customers who purchased a device may be eligible for a settlement payout of $18 to $56. Those who used Google Assistant or lived in a household with a device that reportedly recorded conversations could receive $2 to $10.

Smartphone users allege that Google, part of Alphabet, illegally recorded private conversations via Google Assistant and used them for targeted advertising, according to a preliminary class action settlement filed on Friday in the San Jose, California, federal court, as seen by Reuters. The settlement reportedly requires approval by US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman.

The voice-activated assistant is designed to respond when people use so-called ‘hot words’, such as ‘Hey Google’ or ‘Okay Google’, similar to Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. The plaintiffs reportedly objected to receiving ads when Google Assistant incorrectly recognized their speech as hot words, a phenomenon referred to as ‘false accepts’.

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The settlement reportedly applies to users who bought Google devices or were subjected to false accepts since May 18, 2016.

The case highlights the ongoing tension between emerging technologies and user privacy. In November 2025, Google was sued over its AI assistant Gemini allegedly intercepting private communications across Gmail, chat, and video-conferencing services. In September, Google agreed to a $425.7 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit alleging privacy violations.

In December 2024, Apple settled for $95 million over claims that its Siri voice assistant recorded private conversations without user consent. Amazon has faced a nationwide class‑action lawsuit over alleged privacy violations by its Alexa voice assistant, with a federal judge allowing users to pursue claims that the devices recorded and retained private conversations without clear consent under consumer protection law.