Facebook Privacy Settlement Claim: Who Is Eligible And How To Get Paid?

Facebook users may now be eligible to receive a piece of a $725 million settlement that parent company Meta recently agreed to pay over a lawsuit tied to privacy violations.

The $725 million settlement will only be available to Facebook users in the United States who used the social media platform between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022. People who are eligible would need to fill out a claim on a website that Meta has set up to pay out money to the social network's users.

Users can also print out the claim form and mail it to this address: Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Users will also be asked whether they deleted their Facebook account. Those who held an account for longer may be eligible for a larger sum. The claim can only be filed before Aug. 25, 2023.

It is not immediately clear how much users will get from the settlement. The amount will depend on the number of users who file for the claim. However, the website noted that lawyers involved in the case would likely be rewarded up to 25% of the settlement, which amounts to about $181 million. This leaves only $543.7 million for users who ask for part of the privacy settlement.

Users who file for the claim will not receive the money until after the final approval hearing for the settlement, which will take place on Sept. 7. There could also be appeals after the settlement gets final approval.

"Settlement payments will be distributed as soon as possible if the court grants final approval of the settlement and after any appeals are resolved," the website noted.

The lawsuit stems from accusations that Facebook shared the data of its users with third parties, including consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, which is said to have supported Donald Trump's presidential campaign for the 2016 election. The case itself springs from 2018 revelations that the firm paid an app developer for Facebook to gain access to user data.

Facebook began sending notifications to users notifying them of their potential eligibility for the claim in mid-April. The company will continue to send out notifications through mid-May.