Google reached an $8 million settlement with the US state of Texas over alleged deceptive advertisements by radio personalities to promote its Pixel 4 smartphone.

The US state alleged Google hired DJs to provide detailed testimonials about their personal experiences with the Pixel 4, but refused to provide them with the phones.

In an announcement of the settlement, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton said Google made “statements that were blatantly false”.

The agreement “holds Google accountable for lying to Texans for financial gain”, Paxton said, adding the company failed to “take corrective action” after it became clear its campaign “violated the law”.

A Google representative told Mobile World Live it is “pleased to resolve this issue”, adding the company takes legal compliance seriously, with processes in place “to help ensure the company follows relevant regulations and industry standards”.

In 2022, the company settled a deceptive advertising case filed by the US Federal Trade Commission and seven states for $9 million.