Google will pay $1.375 billion to the state of Texas in what has become the largest privacy settlement in U.S. history. The case centered on serious claims that the tech giant collected users’ location data and biometric information without their permission.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the company secretly tracked users through their phones, apps, and even their voice and facial features. He called the deal a “major win for Texans’ privacy” and a signal that companies must pay for breaching public trust.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2022, accused Google of tracking people even after they turned off the “Location History” setting. It also claimed the company collected facial recognition data and voiceprints without proper consent. These practices violated state laws that protect personal data and biometric information.
Compared to earlier fines, this privacy settlement stands out. In 2022, Google agreed to pay $391 million to 40 states. The following year, it paid $29.5 million to Indiana and Washington, then $93 million to California. But none of those came close to this billion-dollar deal.
It also mirrors a similar case involving Meta, which paid Texas $1.4 billion over allegations of biometric data misuse. With this settlement, Texas has now taken strong action against two of the world’s biggest tech companies.
In response to growing pressure, Google has rolled out new privacy tools. Users can now auto-delete their location history or choose to store Maps Timeline data directly on their devices instead of in the cloud. These changes are meant to give people more control over how their data is handled.
The record-breaking privacy settlement arrives as Google faces growing scrutiny around the world. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe are considering stronger antitrust actions, and some are even calling for a breakup of the company’s core businesses.
This settlement could mark a turning point. It shows that U.S. states are ready to act when tech companies cross the line—and that the cost of violating user privacy is only getting higher.
