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4w ago

Google Disables Ask Photos in Texas and Illinois

Availability hinges on Face Grouping, a Photos feature not offered in those states under stricter biometric rules.

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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 confirmed the Ask Photos conversational editor is currently unavailable to users in Texas and Illinois and said it is working to expand access.
  • Reporting ties the absence to Face Grouping, an opt‑in feature that stores facial geometry and is not available in those states under local biometric restrictions.
  • Conversational photo edits remain accessible through the Gemini app and on the web with no reported Texas or Illinois blocks.
  • Google lists five requirements for Ask Photos—age 18+, U.S. residency, English language, location estimates enabled, and Face Grouping on—yet many users who meet them still report no access.
  • The limits arrive after Google paid $1.375 billion to settle a Texas case over biometric identifiers, and the company says Photos uploads are not used to train other models.