"Google has agreed to pay $68m (51m) to settle a lawsuit claiming it secretly listened to people's private conversations through their phones. Users accused Google Assistant - a virtual assistant present on many Android devices - of recording private conversations after it was inadvertently triggered on their devices. They claimed the recordings were then shared with advertisers in order to send them targeted advertising."
"Google Assistant is designed to wait in standby mode until it hears a particular phrase - typically "Hey Google" - which activates it. The phone then records what it hears and sends the recording to Google's servers where it can be analysed. People use it for various reasons, ranging from simple questions about the weather to interacting with smart devices like lights and televisions. The firm says it does not send audio anywhere while it is in standby mode."
"The claim has been brought as a class action lawsuit rather than an individual case - meaning if it is approved, the money will be paid out across many different claimants. Those eligible for a payout will have owned Google devices dating back to May 2016. But lawyers for the plaintiffs may ask for up to one-third of the settlement - amounting to about $22m in legal fees."
Google agreed to pay $68m to settle claims that Google Assistant recorded private conversations after being inadvertently triggered and that those recordings were shared with advertisers for targeted advertising. Google denied wrongdoing in its settlement filing and said it seeks to avoid litigation. Google Assistant remains designed to wait for an activation phrase, typically "Hey Google", before recording audio and sending it to Google's servers for analysis. The proposed settlement, filed in a California federal court, is a class action covering device owners back to May 2016; plaintiffs' lawyers may seek about $22m in fees.
Read at www.bbc.com
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