$725M Facebook Settlement: Find Out If You Qualify Before It’s Too Late

A major class action lawsuit against Facebook—now operating under Meta Platforms, Inc.—has resulted in a significant settlement that will reward millions of users across the United States soon.

What is the Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation case about?

According to USA Today, the case—officially titled Facebook, Inc. Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation—was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2018, stemming from multiple lawsuits brought on behalf of users who alleged that Facebook improperly allowed third parties to access their personal data without permission. The lawsuits were triggered in large part by the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, in which the since-defunct political consulting firm was accused of collecting Facebook user data to target voters during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

While Meta has denied any wrongdoing on their company website, the social media platform agreed to the settlement to avoid the expense and uncertainty of a trial. 

How much will the settlement pay users?

Meta settled this Facebook user privacy settlement with plaintiffs, agreeing to pay a massive $725 million to resolve allegations of wrongdoing. As a result, some users will receive settlement payments—but with certain conditions. 

Anyone who used Facebook in the U.S. between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, was automatically included in the Settlement Class and became eligible to file a claim. The deadline to submit claims was Aug. 25, 2023, according to the company’s settlement website.

Payment amounts for eligible users depend on two main factors: the number of people who submitted valid claims and the duration of each user’s active Facebook account during the class period. The total settlement fund will first be reduced by administrative expenses, attorney fees, and service awards to the class representatives, according to a court filing. USA Today noted that the final settlement amount distributed among eligible users could be approximately $541 million after deducting those costs.

The remaining amount, known as the Net Settlement Fund, will be distributed among approved claimants. Each person who filed a valid claim will receive one point for every month they had an active Facebook account between May 2007 and December 2022. The value of each point will be determined based on the total number of claims received, as noted on the company’s settlement website. 

When can you expect to receive a payment?

The court granted final approval of the settlement on Oct. 10, 2023, and payments began being issued on Sept. 9, according to USA Today. Payments will continue being issued over the next 10 weeks. If your claim was approved, you will receive an email notification three to four days in advance of your settlement payment being issued, the settlement website noted. 

For those who didn’t file a claim, opt out, or object to the Facebook user privacy settlement by the required deadlines in July and August 2023, no payment will be issued, and the right to sue Meta separately over these issues has been waived. 

If you filed a claim in the Facebook, Inc. Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation case, be on the lookout; you could be receiving a payment soon.

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