Google has agreed to a $135 million settlement to resolve a class action alleging the company quietly transmitted Android user data over cellular networks without clear notice or consent. The case centers on an unusual claim that such transmissions effectively “appropriated” portions of users’ paid mobile data plans — a resource plaintiffs argued is their property.
What the Android cellular data settlement covers
According to court filings and reporting by Reuters, the preliminary agreement would make most Android users in the United States outside California eligible if they accessed the internet on cellular connections since late 2017. Individual payments could reach up to $100, though the final amount will depend on the number of valid claims and administrative costs. Google denies any wrongdoing.
California residents are excluded because they fall under a separate, state-specific class action that awarded more than $314 million to affected users. Information posted by that case’s administrators indicates Google plans to appeal.
The legal theory at issue in the Android case
Rather than focusing solely on privacy, the lawsuit advanced a property-based “conversion” theory: when Android services sent data over a cellular network in the background, they consumed a fraction of a user’s limited data plan, which the plaintiffs framed as a tangible loss. For many consumers — especially prepaid or budget plans — even small, recurring background transfers can add up over a billing cycle.
That framing is notable. Courts often evaluate data-collection claims through privacy, deception, or contract law. Treating cellular allotments as property creates a more concrete harm calculation tied to dollars and megabytes, not just abstract privacy interests. It mirrors earlier tech cases where battery drain or storage consumption was argued as a measurable injury.
Product changes Android users can expect from this deal
Beyond the payout, Google agreed to product and policy changes. The company will obtain user consent before transferring certain data over cellular connections, update Google Play terms to disclose these transfers, and add a settings toggle allowing users to opt out of data transfers over mobile networks.
Android already offers per-app background data controls, but this settlement points to a higher-level switch aimed at system or service transfers that may occur outside individual app settings. Clearer consent flows and terms could reduce confusion about what traffic occurs on cellular versus Wi‑Fi and when.
Who could benefit and how claim payments may vary
With tens of millions of Android devices in the U.S., the eligible class is broad. Claim amounts will vary, and participation rates in consumer settlements typically range widely. If claims are high, individual payments tend to be lower; if claims are modest, the per-person share increases. Consumers who rely on capped or prepaid data plans stand to gain the most from the new consent and toggle controls, which can help prevent unexpected data usage.
A practical example: a user on a 5GB plan who mostly uses Wi‑Fi could still see hundreds of megabytes trickle away each month through background services — software updates, telemetry, or app refreshes. Overages and throttling thresholds can be triggered by such background activity. An explicit cellular-transfer consent prompt and a master toggle give users clearer control.
Broader Enforcement And Industry Context
The settlement arrives amid heightened scrutiny of how platforms handle data. Google recently agreed to settle claims related to how Google Assistant recordings were used for advertising insights, a separate case worth $68 million. Regulators and state attorneys general have also pursued actions over location tracking transparency, resulting in multi-state settlements in recent years.
Taken together, these actions signal an enforcement environment where disclosure and choice are paramount. For platform providers, the path of least risk increasingly involves explicit prompts, granular controls, and language that maps technical behaviors to everyday impacts — like battery, storage, and now data plan usage.
What to watch next as settlement seeks court approval
The settlement is preliminary and requires court approval. If finalized, administrators will open a claims process and publish instructions, eligibility criteria, and deadlines. Technically, the most visible change for users should be the arrival of an Android setting to restrict cellular-based transfers by core services, as well as clearer terms describing when those transfers occur.
For the industry, the case may set a template: when background processes touch limited consumer resources, platforms will be pushed to secure explicit consent and provide a one-stop control. Expect similar challenges to surface wherever data collection intersects with metered connections — and a renewed emphasis on making hidden network activity fully understandable to the people paying for it.
