Google+ is on the verge of paying users via its Class Action Lawsuit Settlement of $7.5 million subdivided into more than 1.7 million people, but it is not going to the initial agreed-upon price. Instead of having $12 per person, Google is only to pay them $2.15, or a fraction of the initial payout expected by users.
How much is your privacy worth with Google? For as little as $12, it was found to be exploited, err, $2.15 now that the company has subtracted all of the fees that they have taken off it.
The issue of Google+'s security breach was initially kept private but was eventually found by prosecutors to be something that can be held against the Internet company.
Google+ Lawsuit Settlement Changes from $12 to $2.15
A picture taken on August 28, 2019 shows the US multinational technology and Internet-related services company Google logo application Amazon displayed on a tablet in Lille.
The case is known to be "Matt Matic and Zac Harris v. Google" that started in 2018 and only agreed on a settlement and conclusion last August 2020 has now reached its payout point.
However, it is not something that users that signed up for are expecting, as the low $12, has even gone lower to as much as $2 per user affected by the issue.
Google+'s security breach is something that users need to be compensated for, as it was their data that got compromised by the company and left vulnerable.
Bigger damages would have been settled by Google if there was someone that got hacked or faced larger access to their data amidst this issue.
Having said that, Google+ as people know it is now gone, and it is not coming anytime soon to relieve its former glories, as well as issues that sent the Mountain View giant to court. Nevertheless, Google has learned its lesson and is now on the verge of improving its security.
Why Did the Settlement Lower Prices?
According to Ars Technica, the settlement lowered its prices because Google has deducted its legal fees and other payments to the lawsuit on the said $7.5 million sums. Considering Google is a multi-billion company, it could easily pay its other fees and leave the full amount to its affected users that got their data exposed.
However, that is not the case, and instead, the burden of paying Google's legal fees was passed on to them and was subtracted by the company despite being the agreed-upon price.
Is What Google Did Legal?
Google office
Certainly, what Google did was unethical, especially as it promised people as much as $12 for their troubles and potentially endangering their data, despite being trusted with high levels of confidence. However, it stands at a moral and legal grey area, where a lot of companies have done the same deed, and gets away with it.
Google can be followed up with a case by a plaintiff that wishes to receive more, but that would certainly cost more time, money, and effort for both parties. Ultimately, the $2.15 is not enough to go against Google, as it would require more money for a lawyer to represent people, and get only a fraction of it in return.
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Written by Isaiah Richard
