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Part of a Larger Legal Battle
This massive payout comes as Google faces mounting legal pressure from state and federal governments. In 2024, a similar case against Meta (also filed by Paxton) resulted in a $1.4 billion settlement over allegations the company illegally collected users’ biometric data.
Beyond privacy issues, Google is also entangled in multiple antitrust battles.
In August 2024, a judge ruled that the tech giant violated antitrust laws by maintaining a search engine monopoly. The Department of Justice is now pushing for remedies that could include breaking up Google’s business, such as requiring it to divest its Chrome web browser.
Impact on the Tech Giant
The legal scrutiny is already affecting Google’s operations.
On Wednesday, an Apple executive revealed that search volume on Safari—where Google is the default engine—declined for the first time in over two decades. This is partially due to rising use of AI-powered tools.
