Google Pays $68M To Settle Claims Its Voice Assistant Spied On Users
Google Assistant settlement pays $68M over unauthorized recordings. Learn how false accepts exposed your private conversations.
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Google Pays $68M To Settle Claims Its Voice Assistant Spied On Users
Google Assistant Spying Settlement: $68M Privacy Payout Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging its voice assistant illegally recorded private conversations without user consent. The case centered on "false accepts"—instances where Google Assistant activated without the wake word "Hey Google" and captured sensitive discussions later used for ad targeting. While Google admitted no wrongdoing, the settlement highlights growing scrutiny over always-listening smart devices in American homes. Credit: Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto / Getty Images What Are "False Accepts" and How Did They Capture Your Conversations? False accepts occur when voice assistants mistakenly interpret ambient noise or similar-sounding phrases as their activation command. Researchers have long documented this vulnerability across major platforms. In Google's case, the lawsuit claimed these erroneous triggers captured everything from medical discussions t…