On May 11, 2025, Google will pay $1.375 billion to the state of Texas as part of a settlement regarding multiple privacy violations involving user data. This decision comes after the state’s Attorney General, Ken Paxton, filed lawsuits accusing the tech giant of tracking users’ location, search history, and biometric data without their consent.
The lawsuits, initiated by Paxton in 2022, claimed that Google had been secretly monitoring the movements of individuals, even when users believed they had disabled location tracking features. Additionally, the lawsuits highlighted concerns regarding Google’s incognito mode, which users assumed provided them with private browsing capabilities, but according to the allegations, did not fully protect their data.
“In Texas, big tech companies are not above the law,” Paxton stated, emphasizing that this settlement is a significant victory for consumer privacy rights. He added, “For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private search queries, and even their voice prints and facial geometry through its products and services. I fought and won.”
As part of the settlement, Google has agreed to compensate the state without admitting any wrongdoing or liability, a common practice in such legal agreements. A spokesperson for Google, Jose Castaneda, noted, “This resolves a number of old claims, many of which have already been settled elsewhere, regarding product policies that we have long since changed. We’re glad to put these behind us and will continue to implement strong privacy controls in our services.”
Despite the settlement, Google has previously defended its practices in court, arguing that it does not have sufficient ties to Texas to be subject to these lawsuits. The company has also stated that features like Google Photos, which scans users’ faces to group similar pictures, are not used for advertising purposes. This defense was part of their earlier attempts to dismiss the lawsuits.
The settlement is particularly noteworthy as it marks the largest penalty imposed on Google by a state attorney general concerning privacy laws. In recent years, Google has faced a series of antitrust rulings that found the company acted unlawfully to maintain monopolies in web search and advertising technology. Proposed remedies could include significant changes to its flagship product, Chrome, although Google has indicated plans to appeal these decisions.
Interestingly, this settlement follows a similar case involving Facebook’s parent company, Meta, which agreed to pay a substantial sum to settle allegations related to facial recognition as well. This trend reflects a growing scrutiny of tech companies and their data collection practices.
Paxton also recently announced his intention to challenge U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the upcoming midterm elections, further indicating his active role in state politics and consumer advocacy.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the implications of this settlement may resonate beyond Texas, potentially influencing how tech giants approach user privacy and data management in the future. The outcome of such cases could set precedents for other states, prompting a reevaluation of privacy policies across the tech industry.
In summary, Google’s $1.375 billion settlement with Texas serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing battle over user privacy rights in the digital age. As consumers become increasingly aware of their data rights, it is likely that similar legal actions will continue to emerge, challenging major tech companies to prioritize user privacy and transparency in their operations.
