Google to pay Texas $1.4 billion over data privacy suit

Core Viewpoint - Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion to settle lawsuits in Texas regarding violations of data privacy and security laws, amidst ongoing legal challenges including antitrust issues [1][2]. Group 1: Settlement Details - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the settlement amount, which is significantly higher than similar claims from other states [2]. - The lawsuits accused Google of unlawfully tracking and collecting users' private data, including geolocation and biometric data [2]. - The settlement does not imply any admission of fault by Google [2]. Group 2: Legal Context - The settlement is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges faced by Google's parent company, Alphabet, including a recent antitrust ruling that found Google to have a monopoly in the search engine market [3][4]. - In a related case, a federal judge ruled that Google holds an illegal monopoly on advertising technology, which the company plans to appeal [6]. Group 3: Market Impact - Following a testimony regarding a decline in search volume on Apple's Safari browser, Alphabet's stock dropped over 8% [5]. - Despite these challenges, Google claims to be enhancing its search features, with overall search queries reportedly growing [5].