Oklahoma consumers are on the cusp of a significant payday as Attorney General Gentner Drummond recently announced a court's preliminary approval of a hefty $700 million settlement against tech behemoth Google over what has been called its unfair practices in the Google Play Store, according to a statement obtained by SFist. As detailed on the Oklahoma Attorney General's official newsroom, residents who patronized the digital storefront between August 2016 and September 2023 might see a payout once the settlement gets the final nod in April.
It is a notable win for the Oklahoma Attorney General, who collaborated with 52 other attorneys general to land the agreement; Drummond was quoted saying, "Tech giants like Google need to understand they can't take advantage of Oklahoma consumers and get away with it." His statement boasts of the imminent "real results" that are expected to return funds to Oklahomans, at the same time, enforcing a change upon Google to maintain fair policies onwards. And, recipients can expect to see payments executed swiftly and largely automatically—with convenience at the forefront, there's no need for claim forms or additional administrative rigmaroles unless you don't use PayPal or Venmo, don't have access to your old contact info, or expecting money that somehow hasn't arrived.
In a digitally interconnected world where our purchases rapidly glide from desire to delivery with but a few taps and swipes, this move signals a broader scrutiny and eagerness to reign in the sometimes shadowy operations of app marketplaces leading promulgates of digital distribution; the court's initial thumb-up last month has initiated the countdown to when Oklahomans might start seeing these expected funds. "I'm proud that we're on the verge of delivering real results for our state," Drummond told the Oklahoma Attorney General's newsroom, reflecting a message of vindication for consumers, and a promise of a more accountable Google.
Last week, notices about the settled case started landing in the digital mailboxes of eligible Oklahomans, lining up the steps to April's potential final victory lap for the Oklahoma Attorney General, in the interim those who prefer or require alternate payment methods—or simply did not receive notice—can look forward to a supplemental claims process; these individuals just have to await an email for the next phase, and they can enter their contact details on the settlement's webpage to ensure they're kept posted. In the meantime, for all others with on-record PayPal or Venmo data linked to their Google Play accounts, payments are presumed to grace their balance without them having lift even a proverbial finger in the pursuit of what is owed to them.
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