In a landmark settlement, Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion to resolve claims of data privacy violations brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, according to a press release issued on Thursday. The settlement, one of the largest of its kind secured by a single state against a tech giant, addresses allegations that Google unlawfully tracked and collected users’ private data, including geolocation, incognito searches, and biometric information. The agreement marks a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny of Big Tech’s data practices and sets a new benchmark for state-led privacy enforcement.
The lawsuits, filed by Texas in 2022, accused Google of violating user privacy through deceptive practices that collected sensitive data without proper consent. According to the press release, no single state has previously secured a settlement against Google for similar data-privacy violations exceeding $93 million, making this payout a record-breaking achievement for Texas. The settlement underscores the state’s aggressive stance on holding tech companies accountable, following its $1.4 billion settlement with Meta in 2024 over unauthorized use of facial recognition and photo tags.
The Texas settlement follows a $391.5 million agreement in 2022, where Google paid 40 states to resolve allegations of location tracking without user consent. The scale of the Texas settlement reflects the growing pressure on tech companies to prioritize user privacy amid rising public and regulatory concerns. For Texas, the case represents a high-profile victory in its broader campaign to curb alleged overreach by tech giants, with Attorney General Paxton framing the settlement as a win for consumer protection.
As part of the agreement, Google is expected to continue refining its privacy practices, though specific terms of the settlement beyond the financial penalty were not detailed in the press release.
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