How To Join The Settlement Against Facebook

Anyone in the United States who had an account on Facebook anytime in the last 16 years is now eligible for a share of the $725 million settlement from a class action lawsuit provided each user fills out a claim, CBS News reported.

The settlement stems from multiple privacy lawsuits brought against Meta by users claiming that Facebook improperly shared their data with third parties like data brokers and advertisers. The lawsuits were prompted after the social media giant got embroiled in a privacy scandal involving Cambridge Analytica in 2018.

Under the settlement, in which Meta denied any wrongdoing or liability, US residents who had a Facebook account anytime between May 2007 and December 2022, can claim a piece of the payment provided they do so before August 25, 2023. 

US residents can visit the claim website to submit the claim online. They can also print out a copy of the claim and send it via snail mail to:

Settlement Administrator

Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation

1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210

Philadelphia, PA 19103

It is not clear how much each participant will receive from the $725 million settlement since the individual amount will depend on how many people file a claim.

It’s important to remember that the attorneys involved in the case will take a big chunk of the settlement off the top as part of their fees. According to the claim website, the attorneys’ fees will be as much as 25 percent, or $181.3 million. This would reduce the total amount to $543.7 million to be divided evenly between every single Facebook user who files a claim.

The website also notes that the payment, which is looking like pocket change at this point, would not be dispersed until later this year at the soonest. The final hearing on the settlement is scheduled for September 7 when the court will officially approve the settlement and award attorneys’ fees and other related court costs.

Even after final approval, the case could still face appeals, delaying any payments even further.