A federal judge in San Francisco has denied Google's motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the tech giant collected personal data from users' phones even after they disabled tracking features.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2020, claims Google violated California law by intercepting and storing users' browsing histories without permission, even after they turned off the Web & App Activity (WAA) tracking settings on both Android and non-Android devices.
US District Judge Richard Seeborg rejected Google's defense that it properly disclosed how its privacy settings worked. The judge's 20-page ruling noted that Google's disclosures were "ambiguous" and that users would reasonably expect the WAA settings to control data collection across Google services.
The court filing revealed internal communications suggesting Google intentionally used vague language about data collection to avoid alarming users. However, Judge Seeborg acknowledged this could also reflect employees discussing product improvements.
While Google maintains its data collection practices are basic record-keeping that "doesn't hurt anyone," the judge determined the plaintiffs showed their data had economic value. He stated a jury could reasonably find users were harmed by Google profiting from their misappropriated data.
The case will proceed to a jury trial scheduled for August 2025. The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between tech companies' data collection practices and user privacy expectations.
This legal challenge comes as tech companies face increasing scrutiny over their handling of user data and privacy controls. Earlier this month, California saw related developments when a judge blocked parts of a state bill aimed at protecting young users on social media platforms.