Meta to pay Texas $1.4B for using facial recognition without users' permission (texastribune.org)

Article summary

Meta has agreed to pay Texas $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit alleging the company used facial recognition technology without users' permission. The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2022, claimed that Meta's facial recognition software was used on photos uploaded to Facebook without consent. The settlement is the largest ever obtained by a single state and the largest related to privacy ever secured by a state attorney general. Meta maintains it did no wrong and the settlement does not act as an admission of guilt.

Main themes

• Facial Recognition
• Data Privacy
• Corporate Accountability
• Regulatory Enforcement
• Tech Industry

What commenters say

• The fine is a significant deterrent to companies like Meta, and the potential for multiple states to sue could lead to substantial financial consequences.
• The settlement amount is relatively small compared to Meta's annual revenue, and may not be enough to change the company's behavior.
• The fact that Meta had already ceased facial tagging over a year before the suit was filed suggests that the company may have been taking steps to address the issue.
• The settlement does not hold Meta accountable for its actions, as it does not require the company to admit wrongdoing, and the fine may simply be seen as a cost of doing business.
• The use of opt-in features by companies like Meta can be misleading, and may not truly represent informed consent from users.
• The settlement highlights the need for stronger regulations and enforcement to protect user data and prevent companies from engaging in illegal activities.
• The impact of the settlement on Meta's stock price and investor confidence may be more significant than the fine itself, as it could lead to increased scrutiny and skepticism from investors.
• The idea that companies can simply pay fines and continue to engage in illegal activities undermines the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement and the rule of law.