$725 million settlement over a Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Users from May 24, 2007, to December 22, 2022, may be eligible for a cash payment. Deadline for claims is August 25, 2023.
Facebook is alleged to have shared user data with third-party companies without their consent. One of the companies that got hold of the data was Cambridge Analytica, a now defunct political consulting firm that specialized in using data science methodologies to support political campaigns.
They declared bankruptcy in 2018 but not before a legal and political fallout after they infamously attempted to use the psychological profiles and personal data from roughly 90 million Facebook users to target voters in the 2016 US presidential election.
The lawsuit was a big scandal, and it led to a lot of scrutiny of Facebook’s privacy practices. It showed a violation of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) privacy regulations by failing to obtain user consent before sharing their data. This is not Facebook’s first run-in with the FTC on the matter of user privacy. In 2019, Facebook was fined $5 billion for misleading their users about their privacy settings.
Facebook eventually agreed to pay $725 million to settle the class-action privacy lawsuit. That’s the largest ever settlement in a data privacy class action lawsuit.
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Who Can File A Claim?
If you were a Facebook user in the United States between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, you may be eligible for a cash payment from a Class Action Settlement. The anticipated average payout per person is around $30. This may increase depending on the number of people who file a claim. Users may opt out, but will forfeit payment and the right to sue Facebook on these allegations.
When you file a claim, you will need to provide all of the ways that you used to log in to your Facebook account during the Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit period. This includes email addresses, phone numbers, and usernames. You can only file one claim.
Filed a claim? Click here to edit your claim.
When is The Deadline To File A Claim?
To submit a claim, you’ll be required to input your user details and payment method preferences. All claims are due by August 25, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT. Learn more about the settlement and how to submit a claim by visiting the settlement website.
How Much Will I Be Paid From The $725 Million?
The amount of money you will receive from the Facebook settlement will depend on three factors:
1. How many people file valid claims:
The more people who file claims, the less money each person will receive.
2. How long you were an active Facebook user between May 24, 2007 and December 22, 2022:
The longer you were an active user, the more money you will receive.
3. The total net settlement fund after administrative, legal, and other costs are subtracted:
The more money is left in the Facebook Class-Action Privacy Lawsuit settlement fund, the more money each person will receive.
To calculate your settlement amount in the Facebook Class-Action Privacy Lawsuit, the settlement administrator will award you one point for each month you had an activated Facebook account during the eligible period. The administrator will then add up all the points for all valid claimants and divide the net settlement fund by that total number of points. That will determine how much you will be paid for each month you were an active user.
For example, if the net settlement fund is $100 and the total number of points for all claimants is 500, you will be paid 20 cents ($100/500) for each month you had an active account during the eligible period. If your account was activated for 52 months, you would receive $10.40 (20 cents x 52 months). If it was activated for all 187 months of the eligible period, you would receive $37.40.
It is important to note that these are just estimates. The actual amount of money you receive from the Facebook Class-Action Privacy Lawsuit will depend on the final number of valid claims, the total net settlement fund, and other factors.
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Your Options and Next Steps in the Facebook Class-Action Privacy Lawsuit
If your are eligible to file a claim, there are 4 things you can do.
1. Submit a Claim
To get a cash payment from the Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit, you must submit a claim form by August 25, 2023. The claim form must be completed correctly and approved by the settlement administrator.
If your claim is approved, you will give up your right to sue the defendant about the legal claims or factual allegations that the settlement resolves.
- More info: FAQ 10.
- Submit Your Claim Form Online
- Download the Claim Form
Deadline: August 25, 2023
2. Opt-Out of the Settlement
You can choose to opt out of the Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit. If you do, you will not receive any payment from the settlement. You can still sue Facebook separately but will have to do so on your own and at your own expense. To opt out, you must submit an opt-out form by July 26, 2023.
If you do not opt out of the Facebook Class-Action Privacy Lawsuit, you will be considered a class member and will be eligible to receive a payment from the Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit, if approved. However, you will also give up your right to sue Meta separately about the legal claims and factual allegations resolved by the settlement.
- More Info: FAQ 22
- Deadline: July 26, 2023
3. Object to the Settlement
If you want to stay in the Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit settlement but you have some concerns about it, you can write to the court and object. You can also ask to speak at the final approval hearing. If the court agrees with your objection, the settlement may be changed or rejected. If you object, you may also file a claim for a payment.
- More Info: FAQ 23
- Deadline: July 26, 2023
4. Do Nothing
If you do not take any action, you will be automatically included in the Facebook class-action privacy lawsuit settlement and will not be able to sue Facebook separately about this matter. You will also not receive any payment from the settlement.
To be able to sue Facebook separately or receive a payment from the settlement, you must opt out of the settlement by the deadline.
No Deadline
Methods of Receiving Payment in the Facebook Class-Action Privacy Lawsuit
Please add the email, Confirmation@FacebookUserPrivacySettlement.com, to your email contact list so that future correspondence is delivered to your inbox (and not your spam).
Ensure the contact information you provide on your Claim Form matches the one on the payment method you choose:
- Zelle
- Venmo
- PayPal
- Mastercard
- Direct Deposit
Submit Claim Here
Remember These Important Dates
- July 26, 2023: Opt-Out Deadline & Objection Deadline
- August 25, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT: Claim Deadline
- September 7, 2023 at 1:00 PM PDT: Final Approval Hearing
Please note that as at the time of publication, the settlement is not yet final. This post only explains your rights and options, including the deadline to file a claim or opt out of the settlement.
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