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9h ago

Google Reaches $1.375 Billion Settlement with Texas Over Data Privacy Violations

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the record-breaking settlement, addressing allegations of secret tracking and data collection practices by Google.

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FILE – A sign is displayed on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif., on Sept. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a press conference in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025.

Overview

  • Google has agreed to pay Texas $1.375 billion to settle claims of illegally tracking and collecting private user data, marking the largest state-level privacy settlement to date.
  • The lawsuit, filed in 2022 by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accused Google of secretly tracking individuals' locations, private searches, voiceprints, and facial geometry through its services.
  • Paxton emphasized that the settlement surpasses all previous state settlements with Google for similar privacy violations, calling it a significant victory for Texans' privacy rights.
  • A Google spokesperson stated that the settlement resolves longstanding claims tied to outdated practices and highlighted the company's ongoing efforts to strengthen privacy controls.
  • This case is part of a broader trend of state-led actions against Big Tech to enforce stricter consumer privacy protections and hold companies accountable for data misuse.