Google was hit with a lawsuit in Texas Thursday, as state Attorney General Ken Paxton alleged that Google collected millions of Texans’ biometric identifiers, including facial and voice recognition information, without their explicit consent.
The suit — which says Google violated a state consumer protection law — accuses the internet company of using products and services like Google Photos, Google Assistant and Nest Hub Max to collect the information.
“Google’s exploitation of the personal information of Texans for its own commercial interests is a knowing violation of the state’s Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act,” Paxton’s office stated in a press release.
That Texas law provides fines up to $25,000 per violation, and the lawsuit alleges that millions of users were potentially affected. The math adds up quickly: Google could potentially face a penalty in the billions.
“Google’s indiscriminate collection of the personal information of Texans, including very sensitive information like biometric identifiers, will not be tolerated,” Paxton said in the press release. “I will continue to fight Big Tech to ensure the privacy and security of all Texans.”
Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
