Texas AG secures $1.375b settlement against Google over alleged privacy violations
Texas AG secures $1.375b settlement against Google over alleged privacy violations
Austin, TX — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a historic $1.375 billion settlement with Google, marking the largest payout ever by a single state in a privacy-related case. The settlement comes after allegations that the tech giant engaged in unlawful collection and use of personal data from users.
According to the lawsuit, Google allegedly:
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Tracked User Locations Without Consent: Even when users disabled location history on Android or iOS devices, Google reportedly continued to collect and store geolocation data.
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Misrepresented “Incognito” Browsing: Google’s Chrome “Incognito” or private browsing mode was advertised as not tracking search history or location activity. The state alleges that Google still collected and used this data for advertising and other purposes.
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Collected Biometric Data Without Authorization: Google is accused of capturing and storing sensitive biometric identifiers, such as voiceprints from voice searches or Assistant interactions and facial geometry from photo analysis in Google Photos, without obtaining informed consent.
“This case highlights the immense value of personal data and the importance of protecting consumer privacy,” Paxton said in a statement.
It remains unclear whether Google is required to delete the biometric data allegedly collected without consent. Legal experts say the settlement could include provisions governing the handling, storage, or deletion of this sensitive information, but specifics have not yet been publicly disclosed.
The settlement underscores growing scrutiny of tech companies over privacy practices, as states and regulators push for greater accountability in the collection and use of personal data.
