Texas AG Says Google To Pay $8M To Settle Claims Of Deceptive Ads

Alphabet’s subsidiary, Google, has reached a settlement of $8 million to resolve allegations of deceptive advertising in promotion of the Pixel 4 smartphone, as announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday.

The company, known for its search engine, Android software, and ownership of YouTube, has faced investigations regarding antitrust and consumer protection violations from both federal and state officials. Two antitrust lawsuits have been filed by the federal government.

According to Paxton’s office, it was alleged that Google hired radio announcers to give testimonials about the Pixel 4 despite the company’s refusal to provide them with one of the phones.

Read more: Texas Antitrust Suit Says Google Takes Up To 42% From Ads

“If Google is going to advertise in Texas, their statements better be true,” Paxton said in a statement. “In this case, the company made statements that were blatantly false, 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 pleased to resolve this issue,” said spokesperson Jose Castaneda.