AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed lawsuits against Netflix, WhatsApp, and Discord and opened a new investigation into Meta in the final days of his GOP runoff campaign against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, according to filings and announcements from his office.
Paxton, who won the Republican runoff on Tuesday, highlighted his legal actions against major technology companies during his victory speech, framing them as part of his record in protecting children online.
“As attorney general, I’ve sued some of the largest companies in the world … for taking advantage of our kids by exposing them to dangerous, addictive material,” Paxton said. “In Washington, I will not stop fighting to protect Texas children from Big Tech.”
Paxton’s office has filed at least two dozen lawsuits against major technology companies over the past five years and secured multibillion-dollar settlements with Meta and Google over alleged violations of Texas consumer protection and privacy laws.
In 2024, Paxton announced a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over the alleged unauthorized collection of biometric data. In 2025, his office announced a $1.4 billion settlement with Google over alleged tracking of Texas users’ data without consent. Both companies have disputed or not publicly detailed the allegations.
Paxton has also used state laws including the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act and the Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act in lawsuits against technology companies, including Meta, WhatsApp, Netflix, Discord, and TikTok.
His office created a dedicated division in 2024 to enforce Texas privacy laws against technology companies and launched investigations into multiple artificial intelligence and social media platforms over their handling of minors’ data and online safety practices.
Legal experts said state attorneys general across the United States have increased enforcement actions against technology companies, citing consumer protection and privacy concerns. They also noted that Texas’ existing state laws and federal appellate court rulings have shaped the outcomes of several cases.
Paxton’s office and the companies named in the lawsuits did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
