The terms of the settlement, announced Tuesday (July 30), mark it the largest ever made by any state, according to Texas lawyers, including the Keller Postman law firm representing the plaintiffs.
Logo of Meta Platforms company. Photo: REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, is the first major case brought under Texas’ 2009 biometric privacy law, according to law firms tracking the case. A provision of the law carries fines of up to $25,000 for each violation.
Texas alleges Facebook collected biometric information “billions of times” from photos and videos users uploaded to the social media platform as part of a free feature.
A Meta spokesperson said the company was pleased to resolve the case and looked forward to “ exploring business development opportunities in Texas, including the development of data centers.” However, the company continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement that the settlement marks the state's commitment to "standing up to the world's largest technology companies and holding them accountable for violating our laws and the privacy rights of Texans."
Texas and Meta said they reached the settlement in May, weeks before the state court trial was scheduled to begin.
Meta also agreed in 2020 to pay $650 million to settle a biometric privacy class action brought under Illinois privacy laws, considered among the nation’s strictest. The company also denied wrongdoing.
Google (owned by Alphabet) is also currently facing a separate lawsuit from Texas alleging that the company violated the state's biometrics law.
Cao Phong (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/meta-se-tra-14-ty-do-la-de-giai-quyet-vu-kien-du-lieu-sinh-trac-hoc-post305642.html
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