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Google has agreed to pay the state of Texas $1.375 billion in settlement of two lawsuits alleging violations of privacy laws. The company was accused of tracking users’ locations without consent and collecting biometric data — including voiceprints and facial geometry — without proper disclosure.
This sum surpasses all previous penalties imposed on Google for similar infractions. Previously, in November 2022, the company consented to pay $391 million to a coalition of 40 states. In January 2023, it paid $29.5 million to the states of Indiana and Washington, followed by a $93 million settlement with California in September.
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, centered on Google’s collection of geolocation data, incognito mode activity, and biometric identifiers. According to the state attorney’s office, Google continued to monitor users even when the Location History feature was disabled, and it retained biometric data without providing adequate notice.
“For years, Google surreptitiously tracked people’s movements, private search queries, voiceprints, and facial geometry through its products and services,” declared Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He hailed the settlement as a “historic victory” for the privacy rights of Texas residents.
In response to mounting criticism, Google has revised its data retention policies: Maps Timeline data is now stored locally on users’ devices rather than in the cloud. Additionally, the company introduced tools for automatically deleting location history.
A comparable amount — $1.4 billion — was previously paid by Meta to Texas, following similar allegations of unlawfully collecting biometric data from millions of users.
These developments unfold amid heightened scrutiny of Google’s operations in both the United States and Europe. Regulators are pushing to curtail the company’s monopoly and enforce stricter rules around the handling of personal data.
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