Global: Texas Secures $1.38 Billion Data Privacy Settlement with Google

The state of Texas has reached a landmark $1.375 billion settlement in principle with Google over alleged violations of state consumer protection and data privacy laws, according to an announcement by Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday.

The settlement resolves two lawsuits filed by Paxton in 2022, which accused the tech giant of unlawfully harvesting and misusing Texans’ personal data, including biometric identifiers, location history, and private browsing activity.

“In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law,” said Paxton. “For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even collected their voiceprints and facial geometry through its platforms. I fought back and won.”

Although the financial agreement was confirmed, specific terms of the settlement—including how the funds will be allocated—were not disclosed. The settlement does not mandate changes to Google’s products or services.

Google, while denying any wrongdoing, acknowledged the agreement covers legacy claims related to Incognito Mode, Location History, and biometric data collection.

“This resolves a series of long-standing allegations, many of which have already been addressed through changes in our product policies,” said Google spokesperson José Castañeda. “We’re pleased to put these issues behind us and remain committed to strengthening privacy controls across our services.”

Paxton’s lawsuits had alleged that Google misled users by continuing to collect location data even when location tracking appeared to be disabled. He also accused the company of exploiting users’ biometric data—such as face geometry and voiceprints—without obtaining proper consent, in violation of Texas law.

The settlement adds to a growing list of regulatory challenges facing Big Tech over data privacy compliance and ethical data use. In a similar case last year, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle allegations that it had unlawfully harvested facial recognition data from Texas users.

As scrutiny intensifies around the collection and handling of sensitive personal data, the Texas-Google agreement signals a stronger regulatory posture in enforcing consumer rights, privacy protection, and accountability for digital platforms operating at scale.