Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion to settle claims regarding the mishandling of users’ geolocation, incognito search, and biometric data, as announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Background of the Lawsuits
The settlement arises from two lawsuits filed by Texas in 2022. The state alleged that Google violated state law by:
- Collecting and using location data from Android devices even when users opted out of sharing their location information.
- Collecting and using biometric data without consent, including face scans for facial recognition technology on Android devices.
- Continuing to collect user search history while users were in private browsing mode.
Broader Context
Texas is among several states investigating or suing tech companies over their handling of user data, following numerous revelations about companies tracking consumers online despite assurances to the contrary.
Statement from Texas Attorney General
"This agreement is a significant milestone for our office," Paxton stated. He noted that no single state has secured a settlement against Google exceeding $93 million for similar violations.
Google’s Response
Google officials declined to comment further, stating, "We have long since changed our product policies."
Previous Resolutions
Many of the issues addressed in this settlement had already been resolved through other means prior to this agreement, according to sources familiar with the matter.
In 2022, Alphabet Inc’s subsidiary agreed, as part of an antitrust lawsuit brought by U.S. regulators, to allow third-party developers access to its location services API without requiring explicit permission from users. This deal settled allegations made by federal regulators at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as several states, including California and New York, regarding its business practices related to mobile apps’ use of location services APIs.
This settlement marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of tech companies’ privacy practices and their impact on consumer rights.
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