Google has agreed to pay the state of Texas $1.375 billion to settle two lawsuits accusing the company of tracking users' personal location, incognito searches, and voice and facial data without their permission. The lawsuits were brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2022, alleging that Google's practices violated state privacy laws.

The settlement is a significant victory for Paxton, who has been a vocal critic of Big Tech companies and their handling of user data. "In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law," Paxton said in a statement. "For years, Google secretly tracked people's movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services. I fought back and won."

The lawsuits alleged that Google tracked users' location data even when they had opted out of location sharing, and that the company used facial recognition technology without users' consent. Google had initially responded to the lawsuits by saying that Paxton mischaracterized its products and that the company did not use the data for advertising purposes.

Despite Google's claims, the settlement is a significant blow to the company, which has faced increasing scrutiny over its handling of user data. The settlement is also notable because it does not require Google to admit any wrongdoing or liability, and the company does not have to change any of its products or practices as a result of the agreement.

This is not the first time Google has faced legal action over its handling of user data. In 2022, the company agreed to pay $391.5 million to settle a lawsuit with 40 states over its location tracking practices. The company has also faced antitrust lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny in the EU and other countries.

The settlement comes at a time when Google is facing increased competition and regulatory pressure in the tech industry. The company has recently faced major antitrust rulings finding that it acted illegally to maintain monopolies in web search and advertising tech, with proposed remedies including the divestment of Chrome. Google has said it will appeal both rulings.

Paxton, meanwhile, is set to challenge U.S. Senator John Cornyn in next year's mid-term elections. The settlement is likely to be seen as a significant victory for Paxton, who has made tech regulation a key part of his campaign.

The settlement also has implications for the broader tech industry, which has faced increasing scrutiny over its handling of user data. The agreement is likely to put pressure on other tech companies to re-examine their own data practices and to be more transparent with users about how their data is being used.

In a statement, a Google spokesperson said that the company is settling the lawsuits without any admission of wrongdoing or liability, and without having to change any of its products. "This settles a raft of old claims, many of which have already been resolved elsewhere, concerning product policies we have long since changed," said spokesperson José Castañeda. "We are pleased to put them behind us, and we will continue to build robust privacy controls into our services."

The settlement is a reminder that tech companies are not above the law and that regulators are willing to take action to protect users' privacy. As the tech industry continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see more lawsuits and regulatory actions aimed at holding companies accountable for their handling of user data.