Google has been ordered to pay $314 million in California for misusing users' cellular data. A class-action lawsuit claimed that Google's Android system uses cellular data to transmit information without user permission, even when devices are idle. The lawsuit highlighted that Google's design allows data transfers over cellular networks instead of only through Wi-Fi. Plaintiffs noted that a Samsung Galaxy S7 transmitted significant data in a 24-hour period, mostly to Google. The court found that this practice violates California law and requires compensation for the unauthorized use of cellular data.
Although Google could make it so that these transfers happen only when the phones are connected to Wi-Fi, Google instead designed these transfers so they can also take place over a cellular network.
Google's unauthorized use of their cellular data violates California law and requires Google to compensate Plaintiffs for the value of the cellular data that Google uses for its own benefit without their permission.
In one instance, the plaintiffs found that a Samsung Galaxy S7 device with the default settings and the standard pre-loaded apps, and connected to a new Google account, sent and received 8.88 MB/day of cellular data, out of which 94% of the communications were between Google and the device.
Log files are typically not time-sensitive, and transmission of them could easily be delayed until Wi-Fi is available.
Collection
[
|
...
]