Meta To Pay Record $1.4 Billion For Unauthorized Use Of Biometric Data

Overview

On July 30, 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reached a record $1.4 billion deal to settle claims against Meta (formerly known as Facebook) related to the tech giant's unauthorized capture and use of Texans' personal biometric data.

As the single largest settlement ever obtained from an action brought by an individual state, the landmark case marks a significant victory for Texas and sets a groundbreaking precedent for future privacy-related lawsuits. The settlement is also one of the largest penalties ever levied at Meta by lawmakers, second only to the $5 billion sum it paid to the FTC in 2019.

Case Background

Alleging violations of the Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the state first filed a lawsuit against Meta in February of 2022. The complaint alleges that Meta unlawfully captured the biometric data of millions of Texans for a "commercial purpose" without their informed consent.