Google to Pay $1.375 Billion to Settle Texas Privacy Lawsuits
Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion in a settlement with the state of Texas, resolving allegations that it violated users’ privacy through its products and services. The settlement, announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday, marks one of the largest data privacy agreements in the state’s history.
Allegations of Unlawful Data Collection
The agreement settles two lawsuits brought by Paxton in 2022. These legal actions accused Google of violating Texas consumer protection laws through three of its services: Incognito mode, Location History, and features involving biometric data.
According to Paxton, Google tracked users’ locations, search history, voiceprints, and facial geometry without proper consent. “In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law,” Paxton said. “For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches and even their voiceprints and facial geometry.”
The attorney general did not disclose how the settlement funds would be allocated. Details of the agreement’s terms also remain confidential.
Google Denies Wrongdoing, Agrees to Settle
While Google did not admit any wrongdoing, the company confirmed the settlement covers longstanding claims regarding its privacy practices. In a statement, spokesperson José Castañeda said, “This settles a raft of old claims, many of which have already been resolved elsewhere, concerning product policies we have long since changed.”
He added that Google is committed to improving its privacy controls and will continue building robust protections into its services. The settlement does not require Google to make changes to its current products.
A Growing Trend in Tech Privacy Settlements
This latest settlement follows a similar agreement with Meta Platforms last year. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle claims that it had unlawfully collected facial recognition data from users in Texas.
The back-to-back settlements highlight increasing scrutiny of major tech firms’ data practices, especially related to biometric and location data. Texas continues to lead in holding companies accountable for digital privacy violations.
with inputs from Reuters