Penalty Amount
$93,000,000
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a $93 million settlement with Google resolving allegations that the company violated state consumer protection laws through deceptive location-privacy practices. Google was accused of falsely telling users that turning off the “Location History” setting would stop location data collection, while continuing to collect and use location data for user profiling and targeted advertising without informed consent. In addition to the monetary penalty, Google must implement several injunctive measures to increase transparency and user control over location tracking.
Google must pay $93 million to the state of California. The company is also subject to injunctive terms requiring it to provide users with additional information when enabling location-related account settings, increase transparency about location tracking via a dedicated “Location Technologies” webpage, disclose that location information may be used for ads personalization and before using Location History data for ad targeting profiles, and obtain internal Privacy Working Group review and documented approval for material changes to location-setting and ads personalization disclosures that materially impact user privacy.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements, customer-facing terms of service, and internal privacy policies related to location data collection, processing, and sharing. Clauses governing opt-out mechanisms (such as Location History settings) must be audited to confirm that opting out of location tracking via any setting stops all location data collection, rather than only ceasing collection through specific features. Data processing agreements should include explicit, clear disclosures about the use of geolocation data for user profiling and location-based advertising, with valid user consent obtained before such use. Clauses governing material changes to privacy disclosures or location settings should require internal privacy review (e.g., by a dedicated privacy working group) and documented approval to align with the settlement’s requirements. Additionally, agreements with advertising partners should be updated to reflect mandated disclosures about location data use for ad personalization.
Entity
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-93-million-settlement-regarding-google%E2%80%99s
Filed stamped Google Complaint
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/Filed%20stamped%20Google%20Complaint.pdf
Google Proposed Order FINAL (3)
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/Google%20Proposed%20Order%20FINAL%20%283%29.pdf
California Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/privacy-enforcement-actions
"Attorney General Bonta Announces $93 Million Settlement Regarding Google’s Location-Privacy Practices"
"Thursday, September 14, 2023"
"today announced a $93 million settlement with Google resolving allegations that its location-privacy practices violated California consumer protection laws"
"Under the settlement, Google must pay the state $93 million"
"violated California consumer protection laws"
"without informed consent"
$700.0M
Antitrust enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield secured a $700 million settlement from Google for anticompetitive practices in the Google Play Store. The settlement will provide automatic payouts to consumers who made purchases between August 2016 and September 2023, and requires Google to change its practices to stop the anticompetitive conduct. The settlement is pending court approval as of April 30, 2026.
$1.4B
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a $1.375 billion settlement with Google for unlawfully tracking Texans' geolocation data, incognito browsing activity, and biometric identifiers without consent. This is the largest single-state privacy settlement against Google, significantly larger than multistate settlements. The agreement resolves two major privacy enforcement actions brought by Texas.
$1.4B
Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Google for unlawfully tracking and collecting Texans' private data, including geolocation, incognito searches, and biometric data. The case resulted in a $1.375 billion settlement, the largest ever against Google for state privacy enforcement, marking a major win for data privacy rights.
$391.5M
Google settled with 40 state attorneys general over allegations that it misled consumers about location tracking practices. Google will pay $391.5 million and must enhance transparency and user controls for location data collection.
$391.5M
Connecticut and 39 other states secured a $391.5 million settlement with Google for misleading consumers about location tracking and continuing to collect data after users opted out. The settlement mandates Google to enhance transparency and user controls for location settings, including clear disclosures and user-friendly account controls.
Attorney General William Tong of Connecticut joined a multistate coalition of 37 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Google alleging antitrust violations related to the Google Play Store and Google Billing. The lawsuit claims Google used its dominance to restrict competition, force developers to use Google Billing, and charge high commissions up to 30%. The action seeks to restore competition in the app market and halt Google's anticompetitive practices.