Some Facebook users may ask for payment from million-dollar data privacy deal: How to do it?

NEW YORK (CNN) — Facebook users who had active accounts from May 2007 to December 2022 can claim part of the $725 million settlement accepted by parent company Meta over the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Last December, Meta agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle a long-running class action lawsuit that accused Cambridge Analytica and other third parties of allowing access to users’ personal information and misleading users about its privacy practices.

Legal struggle Started four years agoThere was international outrage after the company revealed that the personal information of 87 million Facebook users had been obtained by Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm that worked with the Trump campaign.

The California judge overseeing the case tentatively approved the settlement late last month, and Facebook users can already demand payment as part of a settlement.

He Application Form, which requires some personal data and information about the user’s Facebook account, can be completed online or printed and mailed. It only takes a few minutes to complete the form, which must be submitted by August 25 to be included in the contract.

Any Facebook user in the United States who had an active account at any time between May 24, 2007 and December 22, 2022, including those who deleted their accounts, could be part of the class.

It is not yet clear how much each settlement payment will amount to. According to the FAQ page on the settlement website, funds will be distributed among class members who submit valid claims based on how long they have an active Facebook account during the aforementioned period.

A final approval hearing for the deal is scheduled for September 7. Assuming there are no appeals, settlement amounts will be disbursed upon approval of the court.

Meta has admitted no wrongdoing under the contract. Following the Cambridge Analytica incident, Facebook made changes including restricting third-party access to user data and improving communication about how users’ information is collected and shared.

“We seek the agreement in the best interest of our community and our stakeholders,” Meta spokeswoman Tina Luce said in a statement following the agreement reached in December. “Over the past three years we have updated our approach to privacy and implemented a comprehensive privacy plan. We look forward to continuing to build services that people love and trust, putting privacy first.”