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Google class action lawsuit.
Google Class Action Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Google LLC for allegedly collecting and storing Illinois students’ biometric data without proper consent through its G Suite for Education platform. The Google class action case, H.K. et al. v. Google LLC (Case No. CC 20LL00017), is being heard in the Circuit Court of McDonough County, Illinois, before Judge Heidi A. Benson. Plaintiffs H.K., J.C., and M.W., represented by Ahdoot & Wolfson, Bursor & Fisher, and Hedin Hall LLP, claim violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. Google denies the allegations, but agreed to an $8.75 million settlement.
Google Class Action Settlement - $8,750,000
The latest Google settlement update confirms that Google agreed to pay $8.75 million to resolve claims it violated Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act. The Google lawsuit settlement amount will be distributed to eligible students who had a G Suite for Education (now Google Workspace) account while enrolled in an Illinois school between March 26, 2015 and May 15, 2025. To qualify, users must have had a voice or face model created or used Voice Match/Face Match features during that period.
As part of the agreement, Google will fund payouts to all valid claimants, estimated at $30–$100 per person depending on the number of claims. The Google settlement eligibility rules cover both current and former Illinois residents meeting the criteria, with parents or guardians able to file on behalf of minors.
Deadline for filing a claim: May 23, 2026
G-Suite for Edcuation Class Action Payout
Claimants in the Google BIPA settlement are expected to receive between $30 and $100, depending on the number of valid claims filed from the $8.75 million settlement fund. The exact amount each person receives will be determined by several factors, including how many claims are submitted, court-approved deductions such as attorney fees (up to 40% of the fund), administration costs, and service payments of $5,000 each to class representatives. All approved claimants will receive an equal share through a pro rata distribution. The claims deadline is October 16, 2025, with the final approval hearing on October 14, 2025. Payments are expected within 90 days after final approval, though delays may occur if appeals are filed, fraud checks are required, or uncashed checks lead to a second distribution.
G-Suite for Edcuation Class Action Eligibility
Understanding Google class action eligibility is key to knowing if you qualify as one of the Google class action claimants. The claim form asks specific questions to confirm:
Were you an Illinois resident enrolled in an Illinois school between March 26, 2015 and May 15, 2025?
Did you have a Google Workspace (G Suite) for Education account provided by your school?
Was a voice or face model created, or was the Voice Match/Face Match feature enabled in your account?
These questions align with court documents that show Google allegedly collected biometric data without proper consent under Illinois law.
G-Suite for Edcuation Class Action Claim Form
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Google allegedly created "face templates" and "voiceprints" from Illinois students using Google Workspace for Education (formerly G Suite for Education) through Voice Match and Face Match features. These features were integrated into educational ChromeBooks and Google Assistant, essentially scanning students' faces and voices during school activities without proper BIPA consent.
The case had a complex legal journey - it was filed in Illinois state court in November 2020, removed to federal court by Google in April 2021, partially remanded back to state court in August 2023, and then fully consolidated back in McDonough County Circuit Court. This jurisdictional ping-pong lasted nearly 3 years and involved disputes over COPPA preemption and federal vs. state law claims.
With an estimated 658,836+ class members, if plaintiffs won $1,000 per violation (BIPA's minimum statutory damages), the judgment could exceed $650 million. If Google's conduct was deemed "reckless" or "intentional", damages jump to $5,000 per violation - potentially reaching over $3 billion. Multiple biometric scans per student could multiply this exponentially.
If class members don't cash their settlement checks within 180 days, the money doesn't go back to Google - it gets redistributed to successful claimants or donated to 501(c)(3) nonprofits. This "non-reversionary" structure means Google loses the $8.75 million regardless of claim rates, ensuring maximum benefit to the class.
Google must now: (1) provide explicit notice about voice/face model creation during enrollment, (2) require affirmative consent before enabling biometric features, (3) never sell biometric models to third parties, and (4) use "reasonable security measures" for biometric data storage - potentially setting new industry standards for educational technology.