Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

Google Confirms Ask Photos Is Unavailable in Texas and Illinois

Legal scholars say strict state biometric privacy rules likely explain the hold.

Image
Image
Although the conversational editing feature called Ask Photos is MIA from Pixel 10 devices in Texas and Illinois, it can still be accessed via Google’s Gemini AI app and a web page. The sculpture, made entirely of flatware by artist Eric Shupe and photographed Oct. 12, 2025, at the Bayou City Art Festival in Houston, was edited using the web version. The image on the left is the original, which the image on the right was altered by telling the feature via voice to remove the lines in the background and replace them with a light purple color.

Overview

  • Google said the Photos app’s conversational editing feature is not offered in Texas or Illinois and said it is working to expand access without giving a reason or timeline.
  • Ask Photos requires users to be 18 or older, in the United States, using English, with location estimates on and Face Grouping enabled, but Face Grouping is not available in those two states.
  • Some Pixel 10 owners report the feature is missing even when they meet the stated eligibility conditions.
  • Conversational editing remains accessible through the Gemini app and on the web with no Texas or Illinois restrictions, creating inconsistent experiences across Google’s products.
  • The limits come after heightened biometric scrutiny, including Google’s $1.375 billion Texas settlement over face geometry data, and Google can use device location to enforce state-based blocks.