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Facebook: "Empire of Artificial Intelligence"
Photo: THIERRY ROGE/ REUTERS
The US state of Texas is suing the Facebook group Meta for handling biometric data.
This is about the previous feature where Facebook users were automatically recognized in photos.
Texas accuses Meta of violating two state laws in a lawsuit filed Monday.
A Texas law on the collection of biometric data stipulates that the express consent of the person concerned must be obtained.
According to the lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, this did not happen despite years of use of facial recognition technology.
Meta rejected the allegations as unfounded and wants to fight back.
With the function, which was abolished at the end of 2021, a user's Facebook friends were automatically tagged in uploaded photos.
Paxton argues that facial features were captured from both online network members and non-users pictured.
"For more than a decade, Facebook has built an artificial intelligence empire on the backs of Texans," the lawsuit states, "by deceiving them while harvesting their most intimate data, thereby compromising their well-being and safety."
In 2020, Facebook paid $650 million
A similar lawsuit in the state of Illinois settled Facebook in 2020 for $650 million.
Chicago prosecutors also charged Facebook in 2015 with collecting biometric data for facial recognition, which was done without the knowledge of users.
Texas' financial demands may even run into the high billions.
The Attorney General is asking for $25,000 for each violation of the biometrics law -- plus an additional $10,000 for each violation of a fraudulent business practices law.
According to estimates cited in the lawsuit, Facebook had around 20.5 million users in the state as of 2021.
pbe/dpa
