Facebook Privacy Settlement: Payments of Up to $38.36 Now Being Distributed to Users
MENLO PARK, CA – Facebook users who filed claims in a class-action lawsuit alleging privacy violations are beginning to receive payments this month as part of a $725 million settlement. The payouts, stemming from allegations that Facebook improperly shared user data with third parties, will be distributed over the next 10 weeks.
The settlement resolves lawsuits brought after reports surfaced in 2018 that Cambridge analytica, a British consulting firm employed by Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, accessed the personal details of approximately 87 million Facebook users thru a third-party app. This revelation sparked public outrage and congressional hearings.
Millions of Americans who had a Facebook account between may 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, were eligible to file a claim.A deadline for submissions passed in 2023. Eligible claimants are receiving payments calculated based on the number of months they had an activated Facebook account during that period. Each month equates to one “point,” and the total settlement amount is divided by the total number of points assigned to all claimants.
While the initial settlement amount was $725 million, approximately a quarter will be allocated to attorney fees, leaving less than $550 million for distribution to users. Eight plaintiffs who represented Facebook users in the case will each receive $15,000.
According to a court filing cited by CBS News, individual payments are averaging around $30, with a maximum payout of $38.36.
Those with questions about the settlement or thier individual claim can find more information through the settlement administrator.
