Google to Pay $1.375 Billion Settlement for Data Privacy Violations in Texas

Now it seems Google has made a settlement agreement with the lone star state of Texas. The tech giant will make a $1.375 billion payment after settling claims that it illegally tracked and monitored the private information of its users. When in 2022 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton did just that he filed a lawsuit restricting serious concerns about Google’s monopolistic practices. He slammed the business for collecting people’s movements, private search histories, voiceprints and facial geometry via its myriad products and services.

These allegations were based on evidence that Google tracked users in the background without their explicit permission, breaching their data privacy rights. The settlement is proof of Texans’ overwhelming victories. Paxton praises the accountability of his lawsuit, especially as a response to “Big Tech.”

“This settlement is a major win for Texans’ privacy,” Paxton stated in a press release. He emphasized that companies like Google must face consequences for abusing public trust, asserting that “In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law.”

This suit alleged Google used misleading practices that resulted in the collection of sensitive data without users’ consent. This involved circumventing users’ privacy controls that the company itself designed to stop the constant monitoring of users’ movements. As part of its provision of services, the company had collected biometric data. This posed serious ethical issues with respect to user consent and data privacy.

In response to the settlement, a Google spokesperson commented on the matter, stating, “This settles a raft of old claims, many of which have already been resolved elsewhere, concerning product policies we have long since changed.” The spokesperson further stated that they were pleased with the resolution and that the company looks forward to developing privacy controls in their services. “We are pleased to put them behind us, and we will continue to build robust privacy controls into our services,” they added.

The settlement arrives amid increasing scrutiny of large technology companies for their allegedly deceptive data privacy practices. For years, regulatory bodies and consumer advocates alike have demanded more transparency and accountability from firms who handle sensitive user data.