Thousands of Illinois smartphone users are suing Motorola Mobility, seeking to force the Chicago-based company into arbitration over alleged biometric privacy violations that occur when taking selfies. The complaint, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges Motorola Mobility “brazenly breached” its own arbitration provision by refusing to pay a $7.2 million filing fee in a mass arbitration claim brought in February.
Motorola smartphones use the Google Android platform, but the arbitration action is focused on the camera features and the company’s own photo gallery app preinstalled on the devices. The Motorola users disputed the company’s Google argument, and the arbitrator ruled March 30 that Motorola owed the $7.2 million. But the company refused to write the check and the case was closed May 23 for “lack of filing fee payment,” according to court filings.