Google has been ordered by a state court in San Jose to pay $314 million fine to Android users in California for collecting users’ data without permission. The order came in a 5-year-old Google California Android Data Lawsuit.

In 2019, a group of Android users in California filed a class-action lawsuit against Google (Csupo et al. v. Google LLC). They claimed that Google’s Android operating system used “cellular data behind users’ backs”, even when their phones were idle, without Wi‑Fi or permission. This data flow allegedly helped run Google’s services and improve its targeted advertising at the expense of users’ data plans.

A San Jose state court jury found Google “liable” and ordered the company to pay $314.6 million in damages to roughly 14 million Californians. The jury concluded that the data transfers were a “mandatory and unavoidable burden” imposed on users for Google’s benefit.

According to the petitioners, Google deliberately installed code in Android that “transferred device data” like usage logs and location metadata while devices were idle, even without user interaction or Wi‑Fi. Users alleged this violated California’s consumer protection and property laws (CCPPA), because the data transfers were done “without consent”, “consumed cellular data”, and “benefited Google’s business”.

Google defended itself, saying that users “consented” via the terms of service and privacy settings, and the data transfers are necessary for Android’s “security, performance, and reliability”.

The case was certified as a class action in 2023, on behalf of about 13 million California users. A federal counterpart suit covering the other 49 states is set for trial in April 2026 and seeks up to $800 million. According to legal experts, this is a rare jury verdict in a tech class-action, especially because Google usually settles out of court. Anyway, the historical verdict may reshape how companies disclose and manage background data use.

If you’re in California with an Android phone, you’re part of the class—even if you didn’t know. Also, Google may appeal against the order, so payouts aren’t guaranteed yet. The bigger 2026 trial could cover most other U.S. Android users.

Keep an eye out for changes in Android settings or alerts explaining data use.