Judge Denies $2.36B Consumer Claim Against Google Over Data Privacy Violations
A U.S. District Judge has rejected a consumer effort to claim $2.36 billion in penalties from Google for alleged data privacy violations. The plaintiffs accused the tech giant of collecting and monetizing user data despite privacy settings being disabled.
Chief Judge Richard Seeborg denied both the monetary damages and a requested injunction against Google's ad practices. This follows a September verdict where Google was found liable for privacy invasion and ordered to pay $425 million—a fraction of the original $31 billion sought.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between tech companies and regulators over data monetization practices. While the reduced penalty represents a victory for Google, it underscores the growing legal risks facing Big Tech in the privacy era.
