Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Feb. 14 against Meta (the parent company of Facebook) for using facial recognition methods from photos uploaded by Texas residents from 2010 to the end of 2021 when the company announced it would stop using facial recognition features on Facebook. According to the lawsuit, these practices violated Texas law that made it illegal to capture biometric data like fingerprints, voiceprints, and “face geometry” for commercial purposes without a person’s consent.

“Facebook will no longer take advantage of people and their children with the intent to turn a profit at the expense of one’s safety and well-being,” Paxton said in a press release. “This is yet another example of Big Tech’s deceitful business practices and it must stop. I will continue to fight for Texans’ privacy and security.”