Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Friday that Google has agreed to a $1.375 billion settlement over alleged misuse of user data. In a statement, Paxton described the agreement as the “conclusion of two of the largest data privacy enforcement actions ever brought by a single state against the tech giant.”
“This historic $1.375 billion price tag for Google’s misconduct sends a clear warning to all of Big Tech that I will take aggressive action against any company that misuses Texans’ data and violates their privacy,” Paxton said. He emphasized his office’s commitment to holding large corporations accountable, stating, “If Big Tech thinks they can get away with abusing user data and illegally spying on Texans without consequences, I will make sure they are proven wrong.”
The settlement stems from allegations that Google unlawfully tracked and collected users’ private data, including geolocation, incognito browsing activity, and biometric identifiers. Paxton’s office secured a sum far exceeding previous state-level settlements against the company, surpassing the largest single-state settlement outside Texas—$93 million—and outpacing a 40-state coalition’s $391 million privacy case.
Paxton also highlighted prior settlements with Google, including $700 million and $8 million for anticompetitive and deceptive trade practices, as well as a $1.4 billion agreement with Meta over biometric data collection. A representative for Google, José Castañeda, stated the deal resolves “a raft of old claims” and noted the company has “long since changed,” pledging to continue developing privacy protections.
The settlement marks a significant shift in state-level legal strategies against tech giants, according to analyst Mario Nawfal, who called it a “massive shift in how states might go solo against Big Tech.”
