Google Settles Privacy Lawsuits with Texas for $1.4 Billion
In a significant legal resolution, Google has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to the State of Texas to settle two lawsuits concerning alleged violations of residents’ privacy. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who spearheaded the lawsuits in 2022, accused the tech giant of improperly tracking user locations and searches, as well as collecting facial recognition data without consent.
The lawsuits, rooted in Texas’ data privacy and deceptive trade practices laws, highlighted concerns about Google’s handling of personal information. Less than a year prior, Paxton secured a similar $1.4 billion settlement with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over allegations of unauthorized facial tagging.
This settlement marks another legal challenge for Google, which has faced multiple antitrust cases recently, primarily related to monopolistic practices concerning its app store, search engine, and advertising technology. Over the past few weeks, the company has been defending itself against a U.S. government push to break up its business operations.
"Big Tech is not above the law," Paxton asserted in a statement following the settlement. Google’s spokesperson, José Castañeda, acknowledged the settlement but noted that it addressed a series of older claims, many of which had already been resolved through other means.
As states like Texas and Washington have moved to implement stricter laws regulating the collection of biometric data, privacy remains a contentious issue between tech companies and regulators. Texas law mandates that businesses obtain explicit consent before utilizing biometric identifiers, allowing for damages up to $25,000 per violation. The lawsuits particularly targeted Google’s features in its Photos app, Next camera, and virtual assistant, Google Assistant, which allegedly facilitated unauthorized tracking and recognition of users.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
