Published
May 30, 2026
Updated
October 24, 2026
People in the United States who used a Google Play app while under 13, from April 1, 2015 onward, could claim a share of Google's $8.25 million children's privacy class action settlement. Claims closed September 14, 2026, and a federal judge granted final approval on October 23, 2026. With 656,974 claims filed, the court put the gross recovery at about $12.55 per claim before fees and costs. No payment date had been announced as of October 24, 2026.
Status
Final Approval Granted — Payments Pending
Claims closed September 14, 2026 · final approval granted October 23, 2026 · no payment date announced yet
Claim Deadline
September 14, 2026
Total Settlement
$8.25 Million
Non-reversionary fund · distributed pro rata to valid claimants
Your Payment
Under $12.55 Estimated
Court’s gross figure for 656,974 claims, before fees and costs · paid by check or electronic payment
Who Qualifies
U.S. Kids Under 13 (2015–Present)
Used a Google Play app while under 13 from April 1, 2015 to the present
Proof Required
No
no receipts or notice needed: claimants attested under oath that they used Google Play apps while under 13, after registering on the settlement website for a Unique Class Member ID sent by email.
Current Status
Claims are closed. The deadline was September 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time for online claims, or a September 14 postmark for mailed claims. Judge P. Casey Pitts granted final approval of the settlement on October 23, 2026, after a September 24 hearing. No payment date had been announced as of October 24, 2026. People who filed a valid claim do not need to do anything more; payments go out after the approval order becomes final, including the time for any appeal.The response was far larger than expected. Kroll, the settlement administrator, had received 656,974 claims by September 8, 2026. The court's order says that if every claim is valid, the fund works out to about $12.55 per claim, below the original estimate, but still in line with other data privacy settlements the court cited. That figure is the whole $8.25 million divided by the claim count, before anything is deducted. There were no objections and 21 timely exclusion requests.
In a separate order the same day, the judge cut class counsel's fee from the requested $2,475,000 (30% of the fund) to $2,062,500, the 25% benchmark, and directed the administrator to hold back 10% of the fee until distribution is complete. The court also trimmed expenses from $59,772.36 to $50,866.96, mostly travel costs, and approved $500 service awards for each of the three guardians who represented the class, $1,500 in total. Those amounts, plus administration costs, come out of the fund before claimants are paid.
What Is This Settlement About?
Google agreed to pay $8.25 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that it collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent through Google Play applications and used that information to target them with behavioral advertising, in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and state privacy laws.The case, A.B., et al. v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. 5:23-cv-03101, is in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California before the Hon. P. Casey Pitts. The lawsuit named six minor plaintiffs, represented by court-appointed guardians. The court granted preliminary approval of the settlement on May 1, 2026, and final approval on October 23, 2026. The approval order states that the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Google.
No receipts or documentation were needed to file, but every claimant first had to register on the settlement website for a Unique Class Member ID and enter it on the claim form. People who used Google Play apps while under 13 between April 1, 2015 and the present were eligible.
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How Much Will I Get?
Less than the early estimate. The court's preliminary approval order projected $40 to $200 per claimant, based on an assumed 1 to 2 percent claims rate against an estimated class size of 3.8 million to 10 million people. Far more people filed: 656,974 claims, according to the final approval order, which puts the recovery at about $12.55 per claim if all are valid. That is a gross figure; the $2,062,500 fee award, $50,866.96 in expenses, $1,500 in service awards and administration costs are paid from the fund first, so the actual payment will be lower. No final per-claimant amount has been announced.The exact amount of your payment depends on how many people submit valid claims. The $8.25 million settlement fund, after attorneys' fees, court costs, and administration expenses, is divided on a pro rata (proportional) basis among everyone who submits a valid and timely claim form. Fewer claims mean larger individual payments; more claims mean smaller ones.
Who Qualifies for This Settlement?
You are a class member if all of the following apply:• You reside in the United States
• You were younger than 13 years old when you downloaded or used an application from Google Play
• Your use occurred at any time from April 1, 2015 to the present
• Google allegedly collected, used, or disclosed your personal information
Excluded from the class: Google's and AdMob's officers and directors, the judges assigned to the case and their immediate families, settlement class counsel, and anyone who submits a valid and timely Request for Exclusion (opt-out).
No Receipts, but a Class Member ID Was Required
Claimants did not need receipts, screenshots, device records, or any documentation showing which apps they used or when, and did not need to remember specific apps. They did need the Unique Class Member ID issued by email after registering on the settlement website, which the claim form required.Claimants also had to sign the claim form under penalty of perjury, confirming that the information you provide is true and correct to the best of your recollection. Signing under penalty of perjury means you are swearing to the accuracy of your claim, and false claims can carry criminal penalties.
How Claims Were Filed (Deadline Passed September 14, 2026)
Claims are closed. The steps below describe how the claim process worked, for reference.Step 1: Register for your Unique Class Member ID. Claimants registered on the official settlement website. You will receive a Unique Class Member ID by email. The confirmation email reads, in part: "Thank you for registering in the A.B. v. Google. Your Unique Class Member ID is [example]. You may now file a claim using this ID, which is unique to you." Keep this ID safe; it is required to file your claim.
Step 2: Complete the online claim form. Go to the online claim form, enter your Unique Class Member ID, and complete the form. The form walks through several steps: Login, Instructions, Settlement Class Member Information, Payment Selection, and Attestation and Signature. You will provide:
• Your mailing address
• The month and year you were born
• An attestation that you used an app from Google Play during the settlement class period (April 1, 2015 to the present)
• Your payment selection (check or electronic payment)
Step 3: Sign and submit. On the Attestation and Signature step you swear and affirm under the laws of your state that the information is true and correct to the best of your recollection. If the class member is a minor (under 18 as of May 2026), the parent or legal guardian must sign and submit on their behalf. You can submit online (fastest) or print and mail the form postmarked by September 14, 2026.
Important: If you do not submit a claim form, you will not receive a payment even if the settlement receives final approval.
Key Settlement Deadlines
August 4, 2026: Deadline to opt out (exclude yourself) or file an objection. If you opt out, you won't receive a payment but you keep the right to sue Google separately.September 14, 2026: Claim form deadline. Online claims must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time; mailed claims must be postmarked by this date. This is the most important deadline.
September 24, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PT: Final Approval Hearing before the court, where the judge considers whether to approve the settlement and the request for attorneys' fees.
October 23, 2026: The court granted final approval and ruled on attorneys' fees, expenses and service awards.
How Will I Receive My Payment?
You can choose to receive your payment by check or by electronic payment (deposit to your bank account). You make this selection on the claim form's Payment Selection step.If you receive a check, you will have 90 days to deposit or cash it. After 90 days the check becomes null and void, and uncashed amounts may be redistributed to other claimants or paid to charity.
When Will I Get My Money?
The court granted final approval on October 23, 2026. No payment date had been announced as of October 24, 2026. There is now a window in which the decision can be appealed, and an appeal, if one is filed, can take several months or more than a year to resolve.Settlement payments will be distributed after the settlement is finally approved and all appeals (if any) have been resolved. No distribution date has been announced. Check the official settlement website for updates on the settlement status and distribution timeline.
What If I Was a Minor When I Used Google Play?
If you were under 18 years old as of May 2026, your parent or legal guardian must submit and sign the claim form on your behalf. The claim form asks whether the settlement class member is a minor and provides space for the parent or guardian's name and signature. No claim forms from third parties (anyone other than the class member or their parent or legal guardian) will be accepted.What About Unused Settlement Money?
This is a non-reversionary settlement, meaning no money goes back to Google. If money remains in the fund after all valid claims are paid, the remainder will be distributed to court-approved charities (a cy pres distribution). The proposed recipients are the Center for Digital Democracy and Common Sense Media, organizations that advocate for children's online protection and digital literacy.What Is This Lawsuit About?
The lawsuit alleged that Google operates a "Designed for Families" program on Google Play that purports to screen apps for compliance with COPPA and other child privacy laws. The plaintiffs alleged that, despite this screening, certain apps in the program collected personal information from children under 13 without obtaining verifiable parental consent.The plaintiffs further alleged that Google used the collected personal information to engage in behavioral advertising targeting these children, including information such as device identifiers, IP addresses, location data, and other personal details. The court denied Google's motion to dismiss in June 2024, after which the parties conducted discovery and reached a settlement following mediation.
Google denies all allegations and denies any wrongdoing. By settling, Google is not admitting fault but has agreed to pay the settlement amount to resolve the dispute and avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation.
Watch Out for Scams
Class action settlements attract scammers who try to trick people into paying fake fees or handing over sensitive personal information.• Official settlement administration is free. No one will ask you to pay a fee to process your claim or release your payment.
• Never give out your full Social Security Number, full credit card number, or bank account password to anyone claiming to handle this settlement.
• Use the official settlement website only, typing its address directly into your browser rather than following links in unexpected messages.
• If you receive a check, verify it through your bank before depositing.
Other Related Class Action Settlements
Other privacy and technology class actions have been resolved in recent years. Class membership in one settlement does not prevent you from being part of another.• OCA database of open class action settlements — complete list of active consumer claims
• Latest class action news and updates
Frequently Asked Questions About the Google Play Settlement
Do I need to provide documentation that I used Google Play apps?No receipts, screenshots, device records, or other documentation were needed. Claimants did have to register for a Unique Class Member ID and enter it on the claim form, and attest under oath that they were under 13 when they used Google Play apps between April 1, 2015 and the present. Claims closed September 14, 2026.
What if I don't remember exactly which apps I used or when?
You don't need to remember specific apps. Simply attest that you used apps from Google Play while you were under 13 during the class period. The settlement administrator processes your claim based on your attestation.
Can I claim if I'm no longer a minor?
Yes. You can claim if you were under 13 when you used Google Play apps during the class period, regardless of your age now. If you are 18 or older now, you submit your own claim. If you are under 18 as of May 2026, your parent or guardian must sign the form.
Do I lose any rights by claiming?
By staying in the settlement class (and not opting out), you release Google and AdMob from the legal claims alleged in this lawsuit. This means you cannot separately sue Google for the same conduct. If you want to keep that right, you must opt out by August 4, 2026.
What happens if the court doesn't approve the settlement?
If the court does not approve the settlement, it is terminated, no payments are made, and the lawsuit continues. That question is now settled at the trial-court level: the court granted preliminary approval on May 1, 2026 and final approval on October 23, 2026.
Sources
• Official COPPA Privacy Class Action settlement website• CourtListener docket for A.B. v. Google LLC, No. 5:23-cv-03101-PCP (N.D. Cal.), including plaintiffs' motion for attorneys' fees, expenses and service awards (Dkt. 95, filed June 25, 2026), the order granting final approval (Dkt. 103, October 23, 2026), the order on attorneys' fees, expenses and service awards (Dkt. 104, October 23, 2026), and CourtListener copies of the court's earlier orders (order denying motion to dismiss, June 18, 2024; order denying certification for interlocutory appeal, December 2, 2024)
• A.B., et al. v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. 5:23-cv-03101, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California — Settlement Agreement and Release (filed January 13, 2026)
• Order Granting Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement (filed May 1, 2026)
• Court-Approved Class Notice and Claim Form
• Settlement Class Counsel: Silver Golub & Teitell LLP and Lexington Law Group
• Settlement Administrator: Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
About This Page
This page summarizes the settlement in A.B., et al. v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. 5:23-cv-03101 (United States District Court, Northern District of California). OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not a law firm, Settlement Class Counsel, the settlement administrator, Google, or a party to this lawsuit. The official settlement website, the Court-Approved Class Notice, and the full Settlement Agreement are the authoritative sources for eligibility, claim procedures, deadlines, and settlement terms. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about your specific eligibility or claim, contact the Settlement Administrator through the official settlement website.
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Settlement Amount
$8,250,000
Case Title
A.B., et al. v. Google LLC, et al.
Case Number
5:23-cv-03101
Court
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (Hon. P. Casey Pitts)
Final Approval
Granted October 23, 2026
Hearing held September 24, 2026 · no payment date announced yet
Claims Filed
656,974
As of September 8, 2026, per the final approval order
Administrator
Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
Official Website
COPPA Privacy Class Action.com
