Google’s $1.375 Billion Texas Privacy Settlement
The largest single-state privacy settlement the Texas attorney general says it has reached with Google.
By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 24, 2026On October 31, 2025 the Texas Attorney General announced a $1.375 billion settlement with Google that, in his words, concludes two of the largest data privacy enforcement actions ever brought by a single state against Google. Texas had sued Google for unlawfully tracking and collecting users’ private data in three areas: geolocation tracking, Incognito browsing activity and biometric identifiers. The release compares the sum with a $93 million settlement outside Texas and a $391 million forty-state settlement, but it does not describe the settlement’s specific terms.
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State attorneys general have become some of the most active privacy enforcers in the United States. This guide explains what the Texas Attorney General said in his announcement of a settlement with Google, and is careful about what the announcement does not say.
What was announced
The Texas Attorney General announced the settlement on October 31, 2025. Google agreed to pay $1.375 billion. The release says the settlement concludes two of the largest data privacy enforcement actions ever brought by a single state against Google.
What Texas alleged
According to the release, Texas sued Google for unlawfully tracking and collecting users’ private data in three areas:
- geolocation tracking;
- Incognito browsing activity;
- biometric identifiers.
A settlement resolves a case without a trial. The release states Texas’s allegations. This guide does not treat them as findings after a court hearing.
How the release frames the amount
The release compares the settlement with others. It says the largest single-state settlement with Google outside Texas was $93 million, and that a forty-state coalition secured $391 million in its privacy case against Google. It also lists other Texas settlements, including $1.4 billion with Meta over biometric data collection.
What the release does not say
The page does not describe the settlement’s specific terms. It does not say what payment schedule applies, what changes Google must make to its practices or what compliance obligations follow. We therefore make no claims about those points.
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What this means for users
Three themes stand out in the allegations, and each affects everyday choices.
Location. Phones and apps can record where you go. Location history can reveal your home, workplace, health visits and routines. Our guide on the X-Mode location data order shows why location data is treated as sensitive.
Private browsing. Private or Incognito modes usually change what is saved on your own device. They do not necessarily stop the sites you visit, your network or other services from seeing activity. Treat them as a way to keep history off a shared device, not as invisibility.
Biometrics. Face and voice data identify you in ways a password cannot, because you cannot change them. See the Illinois biometric privacy guide for one of the strictest laws in this area.
Steps you can take
- Review your account activity controls. Look at what your Google account saves about locations, web activity and voice. Our guide on what Google knows about you walks through it.
- Turn off what you do not need, and set data to delete automatically if the option exists.
- Check location permissions for each app, and choose “while using” rather than “always” where you can.
- Strip location from photos you share. Read how photos reveal your location.
- Use your state rights. Texas residents can exercise rights under the Texas privacy law; see the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act guide.
- Remove old results about you from search. See the results about you tool.
Why state action matters
In the United States, there is no single national privacy law for everyone, so states have used consumer protection and privacy statutes to act. That is why you will see different amounts and different cases from state to state.
Sources
- Texas Attorney General: Attorney General Ken Paxton finalizes historic settlement with Google and secures $1.375 billion (October 31, 2025) (amount, allegations, comparisons)
Frequently asked questions
How much was the Texas Google settlement?
$1.375 billion, announced by the Texas Attorney General on October 31, 2025.
What did Texas allege?
That Google unlawfully tracked and collected private data through geolocation tracking, Incognito browsing activity and biometric identifiers.
Did the release describe the settlement terms?
No. The release does not describe payment schedules, required changes to Google’s practices or compliance obligations.
How does it compare with earlier settlements?
The release says the largest single-state settlement with Google outside Texas was $93 million, and a forty-state coalition secured $391 million.
What should I do about my own data?
Review account activity controls, limit location permissions, strip location from photos and use your state privacy rights.
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