Anyone in the U.S. who used Facebook in the last 16 years can now collect a piece of a $725 million settlement by parent company Meta tied to privacy violations — as long as they fill out a claim on a website set up to pay out money to the social network’s users.
The settlement stems from multiple lawsuits that were brought against Facebook by users who claimed that the company improperly shared their data with third-party sources such as advertisers and data brokers. The litigation began after Facebook was embroiled in a privacy scandal in 2018 with Cambridge Analytica, which scraped user data from the site as part of an effort to profile voters.
Meta denied any liability or wrongdoing under the settlement, according to the recently created class-action website. However, the agreement means that U.S. residents who used Facebook between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, can file a monetary claim as long as they do so before August 25, 2023.
How do I claim money under the Facebook settlement?
Go to the claim website to fill out your claim, or else print out the claim and mail it to this address: Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
What information do I need to provide?
The claim asks for basic information:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your email
- Your phone
- If you resided in the U.S. between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022
- If you were a Facebook user between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022
- If you deleted your account in that period, the date range when you were a Facebook user
- Your Facebook user name
- The payment service you prefer, such as PayPal, Venmo or a prepaid Mastercard
How long does it take to fill out the form?
It should take only a few minutes.
How much money will I get?
That’s unclear, because the settlement amount per user will depend on how many people fill out a claim, according to the settlement website.
When will I get the money?
Not until later this year at the earliest.
The claims site notes that there is a final approval hearing for the settlement on September 7, when the court will decide whether to approve the deal and award attorneys’ fees and other costs. If the settlement is approved, the case could still face appeals, which would take an unknown amount of time to be resolved, the website notes.
“Settlement payments will be distributed as soon as possible if the court grants final approval of the settlement and after any appeals are resolved,” it notes.
Can I opt out of the settlement — and if so, why should I?
Yes, Facebook users can opt out of the settlement. One possible reason to do so is if you want to keep your right to separately sue the company about the issues and allegations in the case, according to the settlement website.
To opt out, you’ll have to send a request online or via mail before July 26, the site notes. To send the request in writing, you’ll have to include the information below:
- The case name — In re: Facebook, Inc. Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, Case No. 3:18-md-02843-VC (N.D. Cal.)
- Your name and current address
- Your signature
- A statement “clearly indicating your intent to be excluded from the settlement”
- Your Facebook account URL
- A statement that you were a Facebook user between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022
What if I don’t do anything?
If you neither file a claim nor opt out of the settlement, you give up your right to file a lawsuit, continue a suit or be part of any other litigation against Facebook about the legal issues involved in the case. You also won’t get to collect any of the settlement money, according to the site.
