Google will pay Texas $1.375 Billion to settle two lawsuits over tracking users locations and storing biometric data without consent. This amount far exceeds previous fines over its location tracking practices: In November 2022, it paid $391 million to a group of 40 states. In January 2023, it paid $29.5 million to Indiana and Washington. In September 2023, it paid another $93 million to California.
Filed in 2022, the case accused Google of unlawfully tracking geolocation, incognito searches, and collecting biometric data without consent, even with Location History turned off.
The settlement represents a major privacy victory for Texas and a stark warning to companies against violating user trust.
Read more about it here.