In a move that sends shockwaves through the tech industry, Google has agreed to pay a staggering $1.375 billion to the state of Texas to settle a pair of lawsuits alleging the company unlawfully tracked users’ locations and collected biometric data without consent. The payment marks one of the largest privacy-related settlements in U.S. history and the largest Google has ever paid to a single state.
At the center of the case were serious allegations: that Google secretly monitored people’s movements, online searches, voice patterns, and even facial features, all while misleading users about how their data was being used or stored. For years, the lawsuit claimed, Google continued collecting information even when users had explicitly opted out — especially when Location History was turned off.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who spearheaded the legal action, didn’t hold back in his statement on Friday. “For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services,” he said. “This $1.375 billion settlement is a major win for Texans’ privacy and tells companies that they will pay for abusing our trust.”
Though Google has previously paid out hundreds of millions to other U.S. states over similar issues, Texas has made the deepest cut. To put it in perspective, in 2022 Google paid $391 million to 40 states in a combined settlement over deceptive tracking practices. It later handed over $29.5 million to Indiana and Washington, and $93 million to California in 2023. None of those settlements, however, come close to the sheer size of Texas’ payout.
This latest legal battle stems from a 2022 lawsuit accusing Google of deceptive practices in how it handled geolocation and biometric data, especially in services like Google Maps, Google Photos, and voice assistants. Texas alleged that Google continued to track user location data even when tracking was turned off, and stored facial recognition data and voice samples from services like Google Assistant and Photos — all without adequate disclosure or consent.
The biometric angle proved especially troubling. Under Texas law, companies are required to obtain explicit, informed consent before collecting biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, facial geometry, or voiceprints. The lawsuit argued that Google not only bypassed this requirement but failed to provide users with the ability to opt out in any meaningful way.
Growing Concerns Around Tech Privacy and Oversight
The case also highlights the growing tension between major tech companies and regulators, particularly as tech giants like Google and Meta face increasing scrutiny for their handling of personal data. The timing of this settlement is significant. Just last year, Meta also paid $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit with Texas over similar allegations involving the unauthorized collection of biometric data — signaling a new era of state-level enforcement over digital privacy rights.
While federal privacy legislation continues to stall in Congress, states like Texas have begun taking matters into their own hands. These legal victories underscore the importance of local regulation in the absence of unified national laws. And for companies like Google, it serves as a loud and clear warning: state-level lawsuits are no longer just symbolic—they’re financially devastating.
In response to the mounting legal pressure and public criticism, Google has taken several recent steps to reform how it handles user data. Last year, the company announced changes to its Maps Timeline feature, promising to store location data directly on users’ devices instead of in the cloud. It also rolled out new privacy controls, including automatic deletion of location history after a set period, and clearer messaging about what data is being stored and when.
A Google spokesperson said in a statement, “We’ve long had policies and safeguards in place to protect user privacy, and we’re making ongoing improvements to give people more control over their data. While we disagree with some of the claims in the lawsuit, we’re pleased to resolve this matter and move forward.”
But for many privacy advocates, the damage has already been done. The idea that a company as ubiquitous as Google embedded in our phones, homes, and daily routines could quietly harvest deeply personal information has reignited calls for more transparent, enforceable, and user-centric privacy laws.
While this settlement wraps up Google’s legal issues with Texas for now the tech giant remains under heavy global scrutiny. In the U.S., it’s battling antitrust lawsuits that could ultimately lead to the breakup of some of its services. In Europe, regulators continue to press the company over privacy and market dominance concerns.
For users, this is a moment of reflection. How much of our personal data is truly ours? And how much control do we really have when convenience often comes at the cost of privacy?
The Texas settlement may not answer those questions, but it does make one thing clear: big tech is no longer immune from accountability. And if companies cross the line, even giants like Google will be made to pay dearly.
