Google has agreed to a $1.375 billion settlement with the state of Texas over a 2022 lawsuit alleging it unlawfully collected and used biometric data from millions of Texans without obtaining proper consent.
The settlement, announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is the largest of its kind against the tech giant in the U.S.
According to the lawsuit, Google had been collecting face and voice scans since at least 2015 to enhance its advertising technology, violating the Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act. The law requires companies to obtain informed consent before collecting data like fingerprints, iris scans, and voiceprints.
“This is a historic win for Texas,” Paxton said, pointing out that the settlement far exceeds other states’ recoveries, including a 40-state coalition that secured only $391 million. The Attorney General also accused Google of tracking users even in Chrome’s Incognito mode, further infringing on privacy rights.
Google responded by saying the settlement resolves multiple old claims and that the company has already implemented changes in product policies. “We are pleased to put them behind us,” said Google spokesperson José Castañeda, adding that the agreement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.
If this article helped you, please consider supporting our work. Every small contribution keeps Abijita.com independent and running.
