Google agrees to pay $8 million in settlements over misleading Pixel 4 ads
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Friday that Google, a unit of Alphabet, has agreed to pay $8 million to settle claims it used deceptive ads to promote the Pixel 4 smartphone.
The search and advertising giant, which also makes Android smartphone software and owns YouTube, is under investigation for antitrust and consumer protection violations by both the federal government and state attorneys general. The federal government has filed two antitrust lawsuits.
In that case, Paxton’s office alleged that Google hired radio announcers to give testimonials about the Pixel 4, even though the company had refused to let them use one of the phones.
“If Google is going to advertise in Texas, their statement better be true,” Paxton said in a statement. “In this case, the company made gross misrepresentations, and our settlement holds Google accountable for lying to Texans for financial gain.”
Google said in a statement that it takes compliance with advertising laws seriously. “We are happy to resolve this issue,” said spokesman Jose Castaneda.
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