Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion to the state of Texas to resolve two lawsuits concerning unauthorized data collection and user tracking. The settlement represents the largest amount Google has ever paid to a single state in a privacy-related case, exceeding previous settlements of $93 million with California and $391 million with a coalition of 40 states.
The legal action, initiated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2022, alleged that Google illegally collected and tracked users’ private information without proper consent. The lawsuits specifically addressed the company’s practices regarding geolocation tracking, incognito browsing data collection, and the accumulation of biometric information, including voice samples and facial data through applications such as Google Photos, which has faced previous scrutiny over its facial recognition capabilities.
The case follows a broader pattern of legal challenges against major tech companies regarding biometric data collection. In 2022, Google faced similar allegations under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), where the company attempted to argue that its facial recognition technology for photos fell outside the scope of biometric privacy regulations.
As part of the settlement terms, Google will implement modifications to certain policies that were central to the allegations. The changes come as the company has been working to enhance privacy features across its platforms, including the recent addition of biometric authentication for Incognito browsing on iOS devices.
The settlement occurs within a broader context of technology companies facing legal challenges over privacy practices. In the same month, Meta agreed to a $1.4 billion settlement with Texas regarding allegations of unlawful facial recognition data collection and usage. The developments reflect an increasing focus on protecting consumer privacy rights and regulating the collection and use of biometric data by major technology companies.
Sources: Vice, The Record, Bank Info Security, Fox4 News
