Google will compensate all users who used the tech giant’s search engine

Google has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that lasted 13 years and reached the US Supreme Court. The company has pledged to pay $ 23 million to those users who used Google’s search engine between 2006 and 2013 and followed links from search results. Anyone who had access to a computer and the Internet during this period of time can receive the payment.

The lawsuit was filed in 2010 because the tech giant passed on users' search queries to third-party sites without their consent. The search queries could contain personal information such as name, address, phone number, or credit card information.

In 2015, the court approved a $ 8.5 million compromise settlement, but most of the money went to support non-profit organizations that protect online privacy. One of the parties to the lawsuit appealed the decision and had it reviewed by the Supreme Court. In 2019, the case returned to the district court, where a new agreement was reached.

Google does not admit its guilt, but undertakes to disclose which user search queries are transferred to third-party sites. In addition, the company will pay compensation to all users who submit a claim on the settlement website by July 31, 2023. The amount of compensation will be approximately $ 7.70 per person.

The final approval of the settlement is scheduled for October 12 this year.