The Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Google for unlawfully capturing and using the biometric data of millions of Texans without consent.
According to the lawsuit, Google has obtained a number of biometric identifiers, such as voiceprints and records of face geometry, using its products available in Texas, including Google Photos, Google Assistant, and Nest Hub Max. This information has been ongoingly collected from users and non-users since at least 2015.
Companies have been barred from capturing Texans’ biometric data without their informed consent for more than a decade.
“Google’s indiscriminate collection of the personal information of Texans, including very sensitive information like biometric identifiers, will not be tolerated,” Paxton said. “I will continue to fight Big Tech to ensure the privacy and security of all Texans.”
The lawsuit goes on to call Texans “unwitting cash cows being milked by Google for profits” and explains the dangers of exploited biometric identity.
“Unlike passwords, credit cards, Social Security numbers, and even names, biometric identifiers (like face geometry and voiceprints) form an inherent part of our unique, human identity and cannot be simply erased or replaced when stolen.”
Google responded by emphasizing that the “breathless lawsuit” mischaracterizes their products, which include a turn-off feature for biometric collection. The company’s spokesperson furtherly announced that they’re ready to “set the record straight in court.”
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