Are you one of the lucky over 1 million Facebook users in Illinois who could be cashing in on a big settlement from a class action lawsuit? Discover how you can easily determine if you’re eligible for the upcoming March check.
Facebook is about to pay out millions to over a million individuals as part of a whopping $650 million settlement. The tech giant has been held accountable for misusing biometric data. But now, affected individuals can expect some serious compensation.
Am I eligible to receive a payment from the Facebook Settlement in Illinois?
Illinois-based Facebook users whose face was scanned and stored by Facebook after June 7, 2011, are eligible. The Court included anyone who fits this description in the Class. To make a valid claim, you must have resided in Illinois for at least six months.
How do I get my payment?
Starting May 9, 2022, class members started receiving their compensation. For those who cashed in on their initial payment by February 28, 2023, supplemental settlement payments are on their way.
The Settlement Administrator will process and mail checks. This also includes electronic payments, which will take approximately two weeks to complete.
“If you are expecting a payment but haven’t yet received it, we ask that you wait until mid-April before making an inquiry.”
How much will I get from the settlement?
The initial settlement disbursement amounted to $397. Moreover, if Facebook has already paid and deposited this amount to you, you are eligible for an additional payment of $30.61.
What was the lawsuit about?
Since 2015, Facebook has been embroiled in a high-profile legal battle. The lawsuit claims that Facebook’s Tag Suggestions tool unlawfully collected biometric data without users’ permission. This is a blatant violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.
In a stunning legal victory, a federal judge granted class-action status to the facial recognition case in 2018. Facebook’s subsequent appeal also fell on deaf ears. The court delivered a unanimous 3-0 decision in favor of the plaintiffs in August of last year.
Facebook will settle $550 million in damages to eligible Illinois users, along with covering the legal fees for the plaintiffs. However, for a tech giant like Facebook, which just reported an astonishing $21 billion in revenues for Q4 2019, this settlement may seem like chump change.
Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act
The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is a state law that was enacted in 2008 to regulate the collection, use, and storage of biometric information by private companies. Biometric information refers to a person’s unique physical or behavioral characteristics that can identify them. This includes fingerprints, facial recognition data, and iris scans.
- Companies must obtain written consent from individuals before collecting their biometric information under BIPA, and they must provide specific information about the purpose and duration of the data collection
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The law also requires companies to develop a written policy that establishes a retention schedule and guidelines for the permanent destruction of biometric information.
BIPA provides Illinois residents with the right to sue companies that violate the law and seek damages of up to $5,000 per violation. This previously resulted in a number of high-profile lawsuits against companies that allegedly violated BIPA, including Facebook, Google, and Clearview AI.
