Meta wins billions in litigation over facial recognition software
Meta settles billion-dollar dispute with Texas. The company, which owns Facebook, will pay $1.4 billion as part of the agreement, according to documents released on Tuesday. Authorities accused the company of collecting biometric data from thousands of Texans without their consent. Meta allegedly used facial recognition software to analyze photos and videos uploaded by users on the platform.
Meta again denied any wrongdoing but expressed satisfaction in closing the case. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the settlement a sign of "determination to hold the world's largest technology companies accountable for breaking the law and violating the privacy rights of Texans."
The settlement amount is reportedly the largest ever received by a U.S. state. Texas is also currently suing Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, over alleged violations of biometric data collection laws.
Meta has agreed to pay a substantial compensation of $1.4 billion as a part of the settlement. Moving forward, the company aims to strengthen its compliance with user privacy rights to avoid similar disputes in the future.
