Penalty Amount
$2,775,000,000
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a comprehensive privacy enforcement initiative, achieving record settlements with Meta ($1.4B) and Google ($1.375B) for biometric and geolocation data violations, suing General Motors and TikTok, and investigating numerous companies for children's data and AI practices. The AG's office has enforced multiple Texas privacy laws and registered over 200 data brokers.
Companies must pay substantial monetary penalties, enter consent decrees, comply with Texas privacy laws, change data collection practices, protect children's data, and register as data brokers.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements, customer contracts, and data processing addendums that involve the collection, sharing, or processing of biometric identifiers, geolocation data, children's data, or AI-driven analytics. Key clauses to examine include data sharing provisions, consent mechanisms (especially for biometric data and minors), breach notification requirements, data retention schedules, AI transparency disclosures, and data minimization terms. Given Texas laws like TDPSA and the Biometric Identifier Act, agreements may require updates to include explicit parental consent for children's data, stricter limitations on sensitive data collection, clear opt-out options for biometric/geolocation tracking, enhanced security protocols, and compliance with data broker registration obligations. Employee agreements handling biometric data (e.g., timekeeping) should also be assessed.
Entity
Meta, Google, General Motors, TikTok, and other companies
Also known as: Meta
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
attorney general ken paxton launches data privacy and securi
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-launches-data-privacy-and-security-initiative-protect-texans-sensitive
attorney general ken paxton secures 14 billion settlement me
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-secures-14-billion-settlement-meta-over-its-unauthorized-capture
attorney general ken paxton secures historic 1375 billion se
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-secures-historic-1375-billion-settlement-google-related-texans-data
attorney general ken paxton sues general motors unlawfully c
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-general-motors-unlawfully-collecting-drivers-private-data-and
attorney general ken paxton reaches settlement first its kin
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-reaches-settlement-first-its-kind-healthcare-generative-ai-investigation
attorney general ken paxton sues tiktok sharing minors perso
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-tiktok-sharing-minors-personal-data-violation-texas-parental
attorney general ken paxton launches investigations characte
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-launches-investigations-characterai-reddit-instagram-discord-and-other
attorney general ken paxton announces investigation deepseek
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-announces-investigation-deepseek-and-notifies-chinese-ai-company-its
attorney general ken paxton notifies over 100 companies thei
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-notifies-over-100-companies-their-apparent-failure-comply-texas-data
TCP Complaint Input Data Privacy
https://consumerprotection.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumercomplaintportal/s/flow/TCP_Complaint_Input_Data_Privacy
Texas Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/privacy
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp., the U.S. government contractor that administers the VA Community Care Network and the Defense Health Agency's TRICARE West Region, over reports that it wrongfully denied health care claims by falsely treating insureds as having other health insurance (OHI). The OAG has issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) and plans to interview consumers and employees to determine whether TriWest violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. No findings or penalties have been imposed yet.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Amazon.com, Inc. on August 31, 2026, alleging Amazon deceived advertisers by claiming to run second-price auctions while secretly applying hidden surcharges and undisclosed 'soft reserve' prices that pushed winners' costs up by roughly 17% on ordinary days and more than 25% during peak events like Prime Day. The hidden surcharges generated roughly $4.5 billion in additional nationwide revenue in 2024, and more than 18,000 Texas sellers and vendors advertise on the platform. The State brings claims under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, seeking civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, an injunction against inaccurate auction descriptions, and per-auction pricing records for every Texas advertiser; the FTC and a coalition of other states filed a parallel federal action the same day.
$1.0B
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a historic settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. requiring Meta to pay over $1 billion and implement significant new safeguards to protect children online. The settlement includes stricter age-assurance measures, a daily two-hour limit for teen users, default disabling of notifications during school hours, hidden likes/reactions, and a nighttime access mode restricting features for children.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an industry-wide investigation into companies marketing avocado oil products that may contain undisclosed seed oils. Civil Investigative Demands were issued to Primal Kitchen, Siete Foods, and Chosen Foods, with more companies expected to be investigated for potential violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Attorney General Ken Paxton secured settlements with WK Kellogg Co. and General Mills Inc. requiring the removal of synthetic dyes from cereals served in schools. The companies have already removed these dyes from K-12 cereals, with full removal from all products by the end of 2027.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) over concerns that the organization may be promoting and recommending childhood vaccines for financial gain. The AAP has been issued a Civil Investigative Demand to determine the basis of its vaccine recommendations and whether they are influenced by financial incentives from pharmaceutical donors.