Google LLC × State of Texas
The Texas Attorney General announced a $1.375 billion settlement with Google to resolve a 2022 lawsuit alleging the company unlawfully tracked users' location, collected biometric data, and misled users about privacy in its 'incognito' mode. The settlement is the largest data privacy recovery obtained by a single state against Google. Google stated it was pleased to resolve the claims, which it noted were related to product policies the company has since changed.
The asset
Personal user data related to geolocation tracking, 'incognito' web searches, and biometric identifiers (voiceprints and facial geometry) collected from Texas residents without their full consent.
The record
- Seller status
- Going concern
- Sector
- Government
- Modalities
- geolocation, biometric, user activity
- Jurisdiction
- US
- Personal data
- The lawsuit alleged unlawful collection of PII without consent.
What it means if you hold data
This massive settlement underscores the increasing financial and legal power of state-level privacy laws in the U.S. It highlights the significant liability large tech companies face for their data collection practices, particularly concerning sensitive data like biometrics and geolocation.