Google has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle claims of unauthorized data collection in Texas, resolving a high-profile 2022 lawsuit filed by state authorities. The settlement, announced Friday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, addresses allegations that the tech giant tracked users' geolocation, biometric data, and Incognito mode browsing activities without consent.
Paxton framed the resolution as a warning to tech firms, stating: "In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law. Google secretly tracked people's movements, private searches, and even face geometry through services like Photos and Assistant." The payout marks the largest data privacy settlement between a U.S. state and Google to date.
While Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the agreement resolves "old claims" related to updated product policies, the company noted no operational changes are required. The case follows previous Texas actions against Big Tech, including 2023's $700 million Android app store settlement and Meta's $1.4 billion biometric data resolution.
Texas has not disclosed how it will allocate the funds. The settlement underscores growing global scrutiny of tech firms' data practices as governments intensify privacy protections.
