Google has settled a class action lawsuit for $68 million, accused of secretly recording users of its smart devices, including Google Assistant. The suit alleged that the technology recorded conversations even when hot words like “Hey Google” weren’t used or the device wasn’t manually activated. Users claimed they were targeted with ads based on these overheard conversations, which Google did not acknowledge fault for. This settlement aims to avoid the “uncertainty, risk, expense, inconvenience and distraction” of a protracted legal battle. The settlement now awaits approval from a federal judge and follows a similar $95 million settlement by Apple regarding its Siri assistant.