Google has successfully blocked an effort to impose billions of dollars in additional penalties in a US privacy class action, narrowing potential financial exposure in the long-running case.
Google has won a significant procedural victory in US court, defeating a bid by plaintiffs to seek billions of dollars in new penalties in a major privacy class action.
The ruling limits the scope of potential damages Google faces, even as the underlying lawsuit — which accuses the company of improper data collection practices — continues.
For Google, the decision reduces near-term financial risk in one of several legal battles testing the boundaries of US privacy law.
What the court decided
Plaintiffs had argued that they should be allowed to pursue additional statutory penalties that could have dramatically increased Google’s liability.
The judge disagreed, ruling that such penalties were not available under the legal framework governing the case. While the lawsuit itself remains active, the decision removes what could have been its most financially consequential element.
Legal experts say the ruling reinforces limits on how US courts calculate damages in large-scale privacy cases, particularly where plaintiffs struggle to demonstrate individualized harm.
Why the case still matters
Even without the prospect of massive penalties, the lawsuit continues to pose reputational and operational risks. Discovery and trial proceedings can expose internal practices and decision-making processes that shape future regulation.
The outcome also contrasts with Europe, where regulators routinely impose fines tied to global revenue under GDPR.
In the US, privacy enforcement remains fragmented — relying heavily on courts rather than centralized regulators.
Broader implications for Big Tech
The ruling may embolden other tech companies facing similar lawsuits to challenge expansive damage theories early in litigation.
At the same time, consumer advocates argue that limits on penalties weaken deterrence, reinforcing calls for comprehensive federal privacy legislation.
For now, Google’s victory highlights how US privacy law continues to favor litigation restraint over sweeping financial punishment.
