Google pays out USD 1.4 billion to settle Texas data privacy lawsuits
Rewritten Article:
Published on May 12, 2025
Google Slapped with Record-Breaking Data Privacy Settlement by Texas Over Privacy Violations
In a historic move, California-based tech titan Google agreed to settle a staggering USD 1.375 billion with the Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, marking the largest data privacy-related settlement ever between a U.S. state and Google.
DUPING TEXANS
This settlement resolves two lawsuits filed by Paxton in 2022, alleging that Google had violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) through its underhanded practices.
The first lawsuit, filed in January 2022, accused Google of systematically deceiving Texas residents. They alleged Google was still tracking location data even when users believed the geolocation tracking feature was disabled. The creepy gathering of such data was then utilized for advertising purposes.
Paxton later filed an amended petition in May 2022, adding claims that Google had deceived users by suggesting that the Incognito mode for private browsing granted them control over Google's collection of their personal information.
This wasn't all; in October 2022, another lawsuit was filed, accusing Google of violations of the DTPA, the Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act, and the Texas Business and Commerce Code. The lawsuit claimed Google had illegally harvested and utilized the biometric data of millions of Texans, including face geometry records and voiceprints, without acquiring proper informed consent.
STATEMENTS
Attorney General Paxton hailed the settlement as a "great victory for Texans' privacy" in a statement, saying, "In Texas, Big Tech won't evade the law. For years, Google secretly tracked people's movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services. I fought, and I won."
He further added, "This settlement sends a clear message to the tech giants - they will pay for violating our trust. I will always stand firm to protect Texans by thwarting Big Tech's attempts to profit at the cost of our privacy and freedoms."
Google, in response, stated, "This settlement addresses a bevy of past claims, many of which have already been sorted out, concerning policy alterations we have already undertaken. We are glad to put these matters behind us and will continue working diligently to bolster the privacy controls in our services."
Norton Rose Fulbright served as the external counsel for the Office of the Attorney General of Texas.
BIG TECH CRACKDOWN
Attorney General Paxton has consistently maintained a tough stance against tech giants. In 2023, Texas secured a USD 8 million settlement agreement with Google regarding deceptive advertising practices[4]. Similarly, Google agreed to cough up USD 700 million to settle a multistate lawsuit over anti-competitive practices in the same year[4].
Last year, Texas inked a groundbreaking USD 1.4 billion settlement with Meta over the unauthorized collection and use of millions of Texans' biometric data in breach of the Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act[1]. This landmark deal was the largest data privacy settlement ever obtained by a single U.S. state at the time of its announcement.
References:1. Texas reaches record-setting data privacy settlement with Meta. Last accessed May 12, 20252. Google to pay Texas USD 1.375 billion privacy settlement. Last accessed May 12, 20253. Google Settles Texas Privacy Lawsuits for $1.375 Billion. Last accessed May 12, 20254. Google Settles Texas Anti-Competitive Practices Lawsuit for USD 700 Million. Last accessed May 12, 2025
Technology manipulated personal data without proper authorization in both the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) lawsuits filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton against Google in 2022.
Google's deceptive practices, such as tracking location data even when users believed geolocation tracking was disabled, and suggesting that Incognito mode for private browsing granted control over Google's collection of personal information, were centered around technology and its use for advertising and data gathering purposes.
