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Google Pays $1.375 Billion to Texas Over Unauthorized Tracking and Biometric Data Collection

Source: The Hacker News
Published: 2025-05-10 06:54
Fetched: 2025-05-10 07:29
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Summary

Google has reached a substantial settlement with the state of Texas, agreeing to pay $1.375 billion over allegations of unauthorized tracking and biometric data collection. The lawsuits claimed that Google tracked users' locations and stored facial recognition data without obtaining proper consent, raising significant privacy concerns. This settlement surpasses previous fines, such as the $391 million paid to a coalition of 40 states in 2022 for similar issues. The case underscores the growing scrutiny on tech giants regarding data privacy and the importance of adhering to consent protocols. As regulatory bodies intensify their focus on data protection, companies are urged to prioritize transparent and ethical data practices to avoid severe financial penalties.

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Google pays $1.375B to Texas for unauthorized tracking & biometric data collection. A reminder of the importance of user consent in data practices. #DataPrivacy #CyberSecurity #TechNews #Google

Content

Google has agreed to pay the U.S. state of Texas nearly $1.4 billion to settle two lawsuits that accused the company of tracking users' personal location and maintaining their facial recognition data without consent. The $1.375 billion payment dwarfs the fines the tech giant has paid to settle similar lawsuits brought by other U.S. states. In November 2022, it paid $391 million to a group of 40