If Google causes you harm or loss, the maximum amount Google will pay you in damages is capped at whatever you paid Google in the past year, or $500 — whichever is greater.
If Google permanently deletes your Gmail account with 10 years of emails and business records, the maximum compensation you could receive in most cases is $500 USD, even if your actual losses are far greater.
Cross-platform context
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Compare across platforms →For the vast majority of free Google service users, this means Google's maximum liability to you is only $500, regardless of how serious the harm — including permanent loss of your emails, documents, or business data — which is far below what actual damages could be.
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This limitation of liability clause is subject to consumer protection laws in multiple jurisdictions that may render it unenforceable. In the EEA and UK, the EU Unfair Contract Terms Directive (93/13/EEC) and the UK Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 may void liability caps that unfairly limit consumer rights. Under GDPR Art. 82, data subjects have a separate right to compensation for damages caused by GDPR violations that cannot be contractually limited. California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA, Civ. Code §1750 et seq.) restricts liability waivers in consumer contracts. The FTC Act Section 5 may apply if the cap is deemed unconscionable or deceptive.
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