Featured Image Credit: SOPA Images / Contributor / Getty
Google could owe millions of US Android users a payout following a $135 million settlement.
Here is everything you need to know before the deadline passes.
Google has agreed to pay $135 million to settle claims that its Android operating system quietly sent data to its servers in the background without users' knowledge or consent.
Moreover, the data transfer was reportedly happening over cellular networks rather than Wi-Fi, which means it would have put the costs back on its customers.
Advert
Although the tech giant has denied any wrongdoing, Google has agreed to settle the case.
Customers will likely qualify for the claim if they used an Android device on a cellular network at any point after 12 November 2017 and are in the United States. This puts the total number of affected people around 100 million.
You also cannot be a member of the Csupo v. Google LLC class-action lawsuit.
The final hearing is on 23 June 2026 and will determine whether or not the payments will be processed.
While $135 million sounds like a dream, the actual payouts are likely to be modest, especially if it's divided among millions of claimants. According to CNET, the cap would be around $100. Once legal fees, taxes and administrative costs have been deducted, the remaining funds will be divided equally among eligible claimants.
The good news is that the process is simpler than most legal settlements. If you qualify, you are automatically included unless you choose to opt out.
However, if you want peace of mind that you will receive your payment, you can check your email or post for any settlement notices. Users can visit the official settlement website to confirm their eligibility with the class member ID listed on the notice and update their payment details.
The deadline to opt out or object to the settlement is approaching fast on 29 May 2026. By opting out, you will not be able to receive a payment from the proceedings.
In the meantime, it's worth checking your phone settings to see if your Samsung or Google device is silently using your data. On your Android device, simply go to Settings > Connections > Data usage > Mobile data usage. Then, tap an app to see a breakdown of its data activity including background usage.
If you're unhappy with an app's data usage, you can limit it by following the same steps, tapping the selected app and toggling off the option labelled 'Allow background data usage.'
