Google and AdMob have agreed to an $8,250,000 settlement in A.B., et al. v. Google LLC, et al., filed in California federal court, over allegations that they collected the personal information of children under 13 through Google Play apps without parental consent — a claim brought under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Google has settled; the allegations have not been established in court.
Three things about this are widely misreported, and one of them will cost people their claim.
1. It Is Your Age Then, Not Your Age Now
Almost every write-up frames this as a settlement “for children”, and parents of small children read it and file while adults in their twenties scroll past. That is backwards.
So the group who should be checking hardest is not toddlers. It is roughly today’s teenagers and people in their early twenties, plus parents filing on behalf of children who are still minors.
2. Who Is Actually Covered
| Where you live | United States |
| Your age at the time | Under 13 |
| What you did | Downloaded or used an app from Google Play |
| When | Class period beginning 1 April 2015 |
| Proof required | None. No receipts, no records |
| Who signs | The class member, or a parent or legal guardian |
3. The Estimate Is $40 to $200 — and Here Is the Arithmetic
Court filings estimate roughly $40 to $200 per valid claim, assuming a 1–2% claims rate. That is an estimate, not a guarantee — the final amount is a pro rata share of the net fund and depends on how many valid claims are filed. The arithmetic behind it is worth understanding before you decide whether it is worth two minutes of your time.
Payment is a pro rata share of the net settlement fund. “Net” means after legal fees and administration costs come out of the $8.25 million. That remainder is then divided by however many valid claims are actually filed.
That is not a reason to skip it. It is a reason to file without building a budget around it.
The Dates That Matter
| Claim deadline | 14 September 2026 |
| Final approval hearing | 24 September 2026 |
| Exclusion / objection deadline | 4 August 2026 — already passed |
Note the order. The approval hearing comes after the claim deadline, so filing does not mean money soon. Payments in class actions typically follow final approval, and can be delayed further if anyone appeals.
How to File
- Register first at COPPAPrivacyClassAction.com to be emailed your Class Member ID. Registration is free. If you did not already receive an ID by email, you cannot complete the online claim form without doing this.
- Complete the claim form online, signing in with your Class Member ID — or print the form and post it to Kroll Settlement Administration.
- E-sign it — by the class member, or by a parent or legal guardian if the class member is a minor.
- Do not pay anybody. Filing is free. Any site charging a fee to submit this claim for you is not the administrator.
- If you are unsure whether a site is genuine, call the administrator directly on (833) 447-6416.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is eligible for the Google Play children’s privacy settlement?
United States residents who were under 13 years old at the time they downloaded or used an app from the Google Play Store during the class period, which begins on 1 April 2015. The test is your age when you used the app, not your age today — so someone who is now in their twenties but was twelve in 2015 falls inside the class.
What is the claim deadline for the Google AdMob settlement?
14 September 2026. Claims are filed at COPPAPrivacyClassAction.com, which is the only official settlement website, or by printing the form and posting it to Kroll Settlement Administration.
How much money will the Google Play settlement pay per person?
Court filings estimate roughly $40 to $200 per valid claim, assuming a 1–2% claims rate. That is an estimate, not a guarantee. Payment is a pro rata share of the net settlement fund — what remains of the $8,250,000 after legal fees and administration costs — divided among all valid claims filed, so the final figure depends on how many people file. Court documents put the eligible class at roughly 3.8 to 10 million people.
Do I need proof or receipts to file the Google Play settlement claim?
No. No receipts or records are required. The claim form must be completed and electronically signed by the class member, or by a parent or legal guardian if the class member is a minor.
When will Google Play settlement payments be sent?
Not immediately. The final approval hearing is scheduled for 24 September 2026, which is after the 14 September claim deadline. Payments in class action settlements are normally made after final approval, and can be delayed further if the decision is appealed.
Is COPPAPrivacyClassAction.com the real settlement website?
Yes. It is the official website for this settlement, administered by Kroll Settlement Administration, which can be reached on (833) 447-6416. Filing a class action claim is always free, so any site asking for payment to submit the claim on your behalf is not the court-appointed administrator.
Settlement amount, case name A.B., et al. v. Google LLC, et al., the COPPA allegations, class definition and April 2015 class period start, the 14 September 2026 claim deadline, the 4 August 2026 exclusion deadline, the 24 September 2026 final approval hearing, the 3.8–10 million class size estimate, the estimated $40–$200 per-claim payment range at an assumed 1–2% claims rate, the pro rata payment structure, the Class Member ID registration step and the identity of the administrator (Kroll Settlement Administration, COPPAPrivacyClassAction.com, (833) 447-6416) per the official settlement notice, PR Newswire class notice and reporting by ClassAction.org and Top Class Actions, August 2026. Google has agreed to settle; the allegations have not been established in court and the settlement is not an admission of liability. Dates and terms can change by order of the court — check the official settlement site before relying on anything here. This is general information, not legal advice. Photo: a legal gavel by Blogtrepreneur, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
