Recently, Meta, the owner of Facebook, agreed to pay a record-breaking $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas over the unauthorized use of biometric data by users. This move highlights the growing concern over data privacy and the unethical practices adopted by tech giants.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused Meta of capturing and using the biometric data of millions of Texas residents without their consent. The data was extracted from uploaded photos and videos on Facebook through a feature called “Tag Suggestions.” Moreover, Meta was found to have stored billions of biometric identifiers without the customers’ explicit permissions, which is a direct violation of the Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act in Texas.
The legal settlement reached with Meta in a Texas state district court in Harrison County is groundbreaking, as it is the largest ever obtained as a result of a single state’s action. Meta will be making payments totaling $1.4 billion to Texas over the course of five years. This significant settlement sends a strong message to other tech companies about the repercussions of mishandling user data and violating privacy rights.
In response to the settlement, Meta mentioned that they are pleased to resolve the matter and are looking forward to potential future collaborations in Texas. Despite shutting down the Face Recognition system on Facebook due to growing concerns, Meta is still under scrutiny for its practices relating to data privacy and user consent.
While the settlement with Meta has been finalized, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office is actively pursuing a lawsuit against Alphabet, the parent company of Google, over the illegal collection of biometric data from millions of Texans. This continued legal action underscores the importance of holding tech giants accountable for their actions and ensuring that user data is protected at all times.
The settlement between Meta and the state of Texas serves as a critical moment in the ongoing battle for data privacy and user consent. It highlights the need for stricter regulations and enforcement mechanisms to prevent the unauthorized use of biometric data by tech companies. This case will likely set a precedent for future legal actions against companies that fail to prioritize user privacy and adhere to established laws and regulations.
Leave a Reply