Don’t Give up Your Right to Sue Google
No company wants to sue. Because lawsuits can be common for large companies, especially large technology companies, it makes sense for these organizations to develop strategies to reduce their chances of being sued in the first place. But when the tactic is subtle, sneaky, and anti-consumer, as it appears to be with Google, you need to make it known.
Google Arbitration Agreement
As Reddit user AldenB pointed out , Google is essentially forcing you to agree to an arbitration agreement when setting up a new Pixel device in the US. In this agreement, you waive the right to join a class action lawsuit against Google regarding the device, if any in the future. In return, Google agrees to waive its right to join a class action lawsuit against you. You know, because Google is constantly filing class action lawsuits against its users.
This “agreement” is limited in scope: it only covers your right to join a class action against Pixel that you file, and not all future class actions against the company. Even more: this tactic is bullshit. Google is not going to file a class action lawsuit against you. There is a much greater chance that you will feel the need to file or join a case against the company. Imagine if a company sold you this Pixel device knowing there was a fatal flaw in the technology. A class action lawsuit has been filed because so many users have been affected by this fraudulent business practice. But wait! You all agreed not to participate in such a lawsuit when you set up your phone, so you can’t continue. Bummer! Hey, at least Google can’t sue you either.
If you’ve never had to file a class action lawsuit against a company before, this may seem like an irrelevant question. But these things happen. Take Apple’s butterfly keyboard disaster; the company knew these keyboards were doomed to fail, and yet sold them to customers for years. This case is ongoing , but it’s a situation you’d like to join if you’ve bought a MacBook with a butterfly keyboard.
I haven’t set up a new Pixel device for several years, so I can’t comment personally on what this part of the setup process looks like. But there is a way to get rid of this dubious item, albeit with some cool restrictions.
How to restore the right to join a class action lawsuit against Google
There is good and bad news here. The good news is that you can opt out of the arbitration agreement through this link ; just make sure you’re signed in to the same Google account as your device, select the specific device from the list, enter its serial number, and hit Submit .
The bad news, unfortunately, is that you lose the option to opt out of this agreement 30 days after you set up your phone. If you recently purchased a new Pixel device or any other device covered by this agreement, now is the time to check if you can opt out of the agreement.
This agreement only applies to individual products, not your entire Google account. If you miss the 30-day window, you will not lose your right to file a class action lawsuit against Google for any other reason. Google Home, Pixel Buds, and other devices have their own agreements that you can opt out of within 30 days.
And it’s worth noting that this agreement only applies to Google users in the US. If you are outside the US, you have nothing to worry about.