A major lawsuit filed in San Jose, California, accuses Google of secretly activating its Gemini AI assistant in Gmail, Chat, and Meet applications in October 2025, allowing the AI to access and collect users’ private communications without explicit consent.
The suit alleges violations of the California Invasion of Privacy Act and claims that, despite the ability to disable Gemini, the opt-out process is obscured in privacy settings, leaving many users unaware of this data collection.
Google has not yet formally responded to the lawsuit, which raises critical concerns about AI ethics, user privacy, and corporate transparency amid rising scrutiny of large tech firms.
Secret Activation of Gemini AI Raises Alarm
The complaint contends that Google “secretly” turned on Gemini AI across multiple communication platforms, bypassing the earlier opt-in model and enabling comprehensive access to user emails, chats, attachments, and video content.
This covert activation reportedly allowed Google’s AI to scan private communications, raising alarms over the company’s respect for user autonomy and privacy rights.
Plaintiffs describe this as a “massive breach of trust,” asserting that most users were unaware their communications were being monitored and analysed.
While Google allows users to disable Gemini, legal experts note that the process requires navigating complicated settings, effectively discouraging many from opting out, which potentially compounds the invasion of privacy.
Google maintains Gemini was designed to improve productivity and operates within its strict privacy policies but has so far remained silent on the specific legal claims.
The Broader Context: AI, Privacy, and Regulatory Scrutiny
This lawsuit fits into a broader narrative of concern about how AI technologies are integrated into everyday digital tools. Google’s Gemini was introduced to compete with AI platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, intended to enhance user experience in Workspace apps.
However, reports of its automatic activation with limited notification have sparked widespread unease about AI’s reach into personal data spheres. Such concerns reflect ongoing regulatory and public challenges over data privacy, consent, and transparency in AI development and deployment.
Google has endured various regulatory probes for data practices, and this case adds to the pressure for clearer AI governance frameworks that respect users’ rights.
It also follows a backdrop of simultaneous legal challenges, including trademark disputes over the Gemini name and antitrust investigations into Google’s market dominance.
Detailed Background: The Launch and Legal Battles Around Gemini
Google officially unveiled Gemini to compete in the growing AI market, rebranding from its earlier BARD chatbot and integrating AI features into email, chat, and video tools. Prior to this lawsuit, Gemini was offered as an optional productivity assistant.
However, the October 2025 switch to automatic activation surprised many users and raised suspicions. The lawsuit was initiated by users and privacy advocates citing the California Invasion of Privacy Act of 1967, which prohibits surreptitious recording or monitoring of confidential communications without consent.
This case highlights tensions between evolving technology and legacy laws crafted before AI’s rise, showcasing the urgency for updated legal frameworks addressing AI and privacy.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The allegations against Google underscore the delicate balance between technological innovation and fundamental privacy rights. AI’s potential to enhance lives is immense, but it must never come at the cost of user consent or trust. Digital tools that process deeply personal communications require transparent operation and user control to protect autonomy and dignity.
This case calls for a renewed commitment from technology companies to uphold privacy as a core value and insist on clear, informed consent before activating AI features that access personal data.
It also prompts society to question how regulations and corporate ethics can evolve to keep pace with AI’s rapid integration into everyday life.
Moreover, separate from data privacy concerns, Google faces a trademark infringement suit from Gemini Data, Inc., a firm claiming prior rights to the Gemini name.
The trademark case alleges Google intentionally adopted the Gemini mark to confuse the market and override existing intellectual property rights, intensifying legal pressures on the tech giant.
