Why is Google Photos' Conversational Editing feature unavailable in Texas and Illinois?

Google Photos' Conversational Editing feature is unavailable in Texas and Illinois due to the biometric data collection required for the Face Groups feature, which violates state privacy laws.

What is the Face Groups feature in Google Photos?

The Face Groups feature in Google Photos uses facial geometry analysis to algorithmically group together similar faces, allowing users to label and identify people in their photos.

How have Texas and Illinois responded to Google's biometric data collection?

Both Texas and Illinois have sued Google over unauthorized collection and use of biometric data without user consent. This has led Google to disable the Conversational Editing feature in these states to comply with local privacy laws.

Home / Technology / Google Photos Bans AI Editing in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Privacy Laws

Google Photos Bans AI Editing in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Privacy Laws

16 Nov

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Summary

Google Photos' Conversational Editing feature unavailable in Texas and Illinois
Restriction due to biometric data collection required for Face Groups feature
States sued Google over data and biometrics collection without consent

Google Photos Bans AI Editing in Texas and Illinois Over Biometric Privacy Laws

In November 2025, Google Photos users in Texas and Illinois have been unable to access the app's Conversational Editing feature, which enables AI-powered photo editing through voice commands or text. This restriction is due to the biometric data collection required for the Face Groups feature, which groups similar faces detected in photos.

The Face Groups feature creates facial geometry models, a biometric analysis of shapes, proportions, and angles, to identify and group together photos of the same person. However, this type of facial recognition technology is not legal in all regions, and requires user consent to collect biometric data.