Tech Giants seem unstoppable. Facebook, Google, OpenAI, Apple, and Microsoft seem so engrained in our everyday lives that it seems impossible to get away from their influence. In 2024, the prospect of privacy seems like more of a pipe dream.
But all hope is not lost, and there are some out there fighting for our privacy. In a landmark victory for privacy rights, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a $1.4 billion settlement from Meta, formerly Facebook, for illegally collecting Texans’ biometric data without their consent.
The issue began in 2011 when Facebook launched a facial recognition feature that automatically tagged people in photos without their permission. As Paxton’s office explained, “Meta automatically turned this feature on for all Texans without explaining how the feature worked.” This blatant disregard for user consent violated a 2009 Texas law requiring companies to inform users and obtain consent before collecting biometric data.
Paxton’s 2022 lawsuit, filed under Texas’s Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, resulted in the largest settlement ever obtained by a single state from a tech company.
Paxton declared, “This historic settlement demonstrates our commitment to standing up to the world’s biggest technology companies and holding them accountable for breaking the law and violating Texans’ privacy rights.”
Beyond the financial penalty, Meta must notify Texas of any future activities that could violate the state’s biometric data laws. This case sends a clear message: the privacy of American citizens is paramount, and any abuse by big tech will be met with strong legal consequences. As Meta looks to explore future opportunities in Texas, it must do so under the scrutiny of a state determined to protect its citizens from corporate overreach.
This post originally appeared at https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/uncategorized/ken-paxton-bills-meta-1-4-billion/
