Rodriguez v. Google LLC
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20-cv-04688-RS (N.D. Cal. Jan. 3, 2024)
according to Google, require it to identify each
class member and contravene its own policy
“against joining pseudonymous data with user
accounts” to delete this data. Opp. at 25. This
argument is unavailing. Plaintiffs seek deletion of
all sWAA-off data collected. Indeed, if Google
were conducting “basic record-keeping” of its
users' data, then it should know which of its users
toggled sWAA off and which did not - a *19
feature by Google and, therefore, under its
control.4 Plaintiffs contend that Google should
delete sWAA-off data Google itself admits to
collecting, albeit only for record-keeping
purposes. Further, Google fails to raise any
arguments against three out of four Plaintiffs'
requests, and Plaintiffs have convincingly
identified “the general contours” of the class-wide
injunctive relief they seek. Parsons v. Ryan, 754
F.3d 657, 689-90 fn. 35 (9th Cir. 2014). Google
may raise these arguments again at summary
judgment should it wish to do so, but at this stage,
Plaintiffs have met their burden. Class
certification is granted under 23(b)(2).
4 Google states that it conducts “basic
record-keeping” of its users' data because,
even when a user's sWAA is turned off, it
will “(1) log the fact that it has served an
ad alongside a pseudonymous device
identifier for accounting purposes, and (2)
attribute conversion events to those ad
serving records.” Opp at 5.
B. Daubert Motion as to Michael J. Lasinski
Google moves to exclude the opinion of Michael
J. Lasinski, Plaintiff's damages expert, relying on
Fed.R.Evid. 702 and Daubert. Dkt. at 330.
Lasinski opines that discovery can be used to
establish monetary relief sought by Plaintiffs
class-wide. Lasinski Rep. 1. As discussed above,
Lasinski provided two sub-models under
Plaintiffs' unjust enrichment theory (Scenarios
One and Two) and one model for actual damages.
Lasinski's unjust enrichment analyses “quantify
the portion of Google's U.S. App Promo, AdMob,
and Ad Manager app ads revenues and attendant
profits attributable to the alleged wrongful
conduct” under two scenarios, discussed further
below. Lasinski Rep. ¶ 77. For much of his
analysis, Lasinski relies on the opinions of
Jonathan Hochman, Plaintiffs' technical expert,
and Mark Keegan, Plaintiffs' survey expert.
I. Unjust Enrichment
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Under Scenario One, Lasinski calculates Google's
unjust enrichment as equal to “(a) Google's U.S.
App Promo revenues and attendant profits from
signed-in, WAA/sWAA-Off users attributable to
conversion tracking with GA4F plus [(b)] the
portion of Google's U.S. AdMob and [(c)] Ad
Manager app ads revenues and attendant profits
from
signed-in,
WAA/sWAA-Off
users
attributable to conversion tracking.” Id. ¶ 82-91
(describing methods of calculating the proportion
*20 of Google's U.S. App Promo net revenue from
signed-in, WAA/sWAA-off users attributable to
conversion tracking). Per Scenario 1, damages
equate to $558.8 million.
In Scenario Two, Lasinski calculates (a) “the
revenues and attendant profits attributable to
conversion tracking quantified under Scenario
One plus [(b)] an additional measure of AdMob
and Ad Manager app ads revenues and attendant
profits attributable to the serving and monetization
of ads to WAA/sWAA-Off users.” Id. ¶ 113. The
additional measure here adds the value to Google
derived from served ads from methods other than
conversions. Scenario Two calculates damages
totaling $664.3 million.
II. Actual damages
To generate a model for his actual damages
calculation, Lasinski considered: (a) Google's
payments for user data, (b) Users' willingness to
pay to prevent data collection; and (c) Research
organizations' willingness to pay for data
collection.” Id. ¶ 132.
Lasinski looked to the Ipsos Screenwise Panel, a
consumer research study conducted by Google
since 2012 to “collect information about how
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