By Leada Gore
Millions of Facebook users could be in line for money as part of an agreement between the social media giant’s parent company Meta and lawyers representing plaintiffs in multiple class action lawsuits.
Meta has agreed to pay $725 million to help settle suits related to the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal involving allegations the company allowed users personal data to be collected by third party companies without their consent. Meta has denied the allegations.
Final approval for the settlement isn’t complete but U.S. Facebook users can now submit their claim information. The final payment amounts haven’t been determined, but will depend on how much attorneys receive, how many users filed and how long you’ve been on Facebook.
What to know about the settlement
The settlement covers anyone in the U.S. who had an account on the social media network between May 24, 2007 to Dec. 22, 2022. Each person can only file one claim, even if they have multiple Facebook accounts.
You can file by filing out an online form or downloading the online form and mailing it to Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Applicants will need to provide:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Confirm they resided in U.S. between May 24, 2007 and Dec. 22, 2022
- If they were a Facebook user between May 24, 2007 and Dec. 22, 2022
- If they have deleted their account, the date range when the account was active
- Facebook user name
- The payment service they prefer, such as PayPal, Zelle, Venmo or a prepaid Mastercard
There is a final hearing on the settlement on Sept. 7. If approved, and barring no appeals, money from the settlement could follow shortly after.
The deadline to apply is Aug. 25.