Meta agrees to $1.4B settlement with Texas for biometric data usage in Facebook images

Meta has agreed to pay Texas a record $1.4 billion in settlement funds over the state's lawsuit claiming the tech giant used biometric data of users without their permission, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday.

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Meta has agreed to pay Texas a record $1.4 billion in settlement funds over the state's lawsuit claiming the tech giant used biometric data of users without their permission, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday.

Paxton said the settlement is the largest secured by a single state.

The lawsuit said that Meta violated a Texas law that prohibits capturing or selling a resident’s biometric information — which includes facial recognition technology or fingerprints — without their consent. The legal challenge dates back to 2022.

“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,” Paxton said in a statement.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Meta said: “We are pleased to resolve this matter, and look forward to exploring future opportunities to deepen our business investments in Texas, including potentially developing data centers.”

This is a developing story, check back for updates.