Google pays $68 million to settle claims its voice assistant spied on users

Core Viewpoint - Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle claims that its voice assistant illegally spied on users for advertising purposes without their consent [1][2]. Group 1: Settlement Details - The settlement is part of a class-action case where Google was accused of "unlawful and intentional interception and recording of individuals' confidential communications without their consent" [2]. - Google did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement [2]. Group 2: Allegations and Context - The case involved allegations of "false accepts," where Google Assistant allegedly activated and recorded user communications without a wake word prompt [2]. - There is a growing concern among Americans regarding privacy, with similar claims leading to legal actions against other tech companies, such as Apple, which settled for $95 million in 2021 over similar allegations regarding its Siri assistant [3]. Group 3: Previous Legal Issues - Google has faced other privacy-related litigation, including a $1.4 billion settlement with the state of Texas for violating data privacy laws [4].