Google Grants Giant Settlement in Texas Data Privacy Dispute
Google has reached a $1.375 billion settlement with the state of Texas over allegations of secretly collecting users' personal data. The lawsuit, initially filed in 2022 by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accused the tech giant of gathering users’ biometric data and tracking their locations without consent, according to a report by Engadget.
The Texas Attorney General’s office stated that this marks the largest fine Google has paid to date for a data privacy violation.
Despite the settlement, Google clarified that it has admitted no wrongdoing and will not be required to make changes to its products. A company spokesperson stated that Google settled the matter to avoid prolonged litigation.
This case follows a similar legal outcome in July 2024, when Meta paid $1.4 billion to Texas over allegations of collecting facial recognition data without users’ consent.
