Google faces potential class-action lawsuit in Canada

A Canadian law firm is currently investigating a possible class-action lawsuit against Google following a similar case and settlement in the U.S.

On June 12, Consumer Law Group announced that it's investigating a potential lawsuit against Google in Canada for allegedly surreptitiously recording private communications through the Google Assistant voice-recognition AI app. It further alleges that Google shared users' personal information with third parties without their consent or knowledge.

Google Assistant, Google's voice-activated virtual assistant, is preinstalled on Google devices like its Home speakers, Pixel phones, and Nest Hub products. It's also installed in smart devices, smart TVs, and compatible phones. It works by recording users' vocal prompts and then responding according to information found online.

Class-action lawsuit in the U.S.

The Canadian investigation comes after Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., agreed to a US$68 million class-action settlement in the U.S. Google faced allegations that it recorded communications without users intentionally activating devices, thereby violating their rights to privacy as well as Google's own privacy policies. The company has not admitted to any wrongdoing.

Eligible class members include people who purchased a Google-made device in the U.S. between May 18, 2016, and March 19, 2026. The settlement also covers Google Assistant users whose conversations were recorded after the virtual assistant was unintentionally activated and whose recorded communications were shared with third parties, including contractors and advertisers.

Claims in the U.S. are ongoing, with the amount depending on eligibility and how many valid claims are filed. However, class members could receive between US$2 and US$56.

Canadians who want to keep up with the latest information in this proposed lawsuit can sign up online.

Amazon also faces a class-action lawsuit in Canada due to its virtual assistant, Alexa. The lawsuit, which was filed in July 2025, alleges that the company "collected significantly more personal information about users than was disclosed" and that it retained that information indefinitely even after users tried to delete it.