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When Can I Expect My Facebook Settlement Check?
A $400 check for violating the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act is coming your way. The law prohibits companies from using, storing or selling biometric information without your consent. Facebook was sued over this and created a $650 million fund to compensate users who were violated by the website. Here’s what you need to know. Once you get your check, you should promptly file your claim with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
1.4 million people are entitled to compensation
The Justice Department recently announced that it has reached a settlement with Facebook that includes $4.75 million to pay the government and up to $9.5 million to victims of the social media giant’s discriminatory behavior. To see also : How to Add Admin on Facebook Page. The combined settlement represents the largest ever received by the civil rights division of the Justice Department, and deals with a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that prohibits discrimination based on race, age, or national origin. Facebook separately settled with the Labor Department over labor regulations.
The lawsuit filed by the Illinois users claimed that Facebook used its photo face tagging feature without their consent, resulting in the use of their photographs. Under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, Facebook must notify users when they collect their biometric data and obtain written consent from users before using their images. The law also protects the privacy of other types of biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial geometry.
$90 million is paid to settle litigation
When can I expect my Facebook settlement check? Approximately 1.4 million users will receive a check in the coming months. See the article : How to Know My Facebook Password. This settlement follows a $750 million class-action lawsuit in which Facebook and other social media sites were accused of violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (IBIPA) by collecting facial recognition data from their users, including their images. As a result, Facebook is now turning off the Face Recognition feature for many of the Illinois users and deleting all of their templates, according to the complaint.
While Facebook has agreed to pay out the money, not all users in Illinois are receiving a check. The class size was 6.9 million and only 22 percent of those people filed a claim. The deadline for filing a claim is November 23, 2020, and there is still litigation regarding whether or not non-Facebook users in Illinois may also receive a settlement check. But the good news is that the checks are already being sent out.
$650 million is set aside to cover all aspects of the settlement
The settlement with Facebook, approved by U.S. District Judge James Donato, will result in a $650 million fund for a class of users in Illinois who complained about Facebook’s use of their biometric information. On the same subject : How to Lock My Facebook Account. The class-action lawsuit, filed in 2015, alleged that Facebook violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. Once approved by the district court, the funds will be paid out to class members in the form of checks within two months.
Illinois residents will get about $345 in the final settlement, up from the $550 million initially proposed by the court in 2020. The judge ruled that the first $550 million proposed by Facebook was insufficient and that the settlement should be increased to cover all aspects of the case. Meanwhile, Facebook has removed the automatic facial recognition tagging feature and made it opt-in. That will address privacy concerns echoed in the class-action suit. Earlier this year, Facebook changed its policy, requiring users to opt-in to such features. It is now required to disclose users’ consent to this feature.
Illinois users are receiving $397 checks as part of the settlement
A class-action lawsuit was filed against Facebook in Illinois in 2015. The lawsuit alleged that the social network had been using photo face-tagging technology without permission. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act prohibits companies from collecting biometric data from users without their consent. Illinois users are now receiving $397 checks as a result of the settlement. A final approval of the settlement will be made in September.
The settlement’s website claims that the average payout per eligible person will range from $200 to $400, though the amount will depend on the number of valid claims. Regardless, the payments to Illinois residents are a welcome financial stimulus. More than 1.5 million eligible Facebook users filed claims in Illinois. Checks were mailed to those who were successful. The time frame for filing a claim was 183 days after June 7, 2011. This period includes time spent traveling outside of Illinois.
Class members can submit a claim for a further payment for damages
If you are a Class Member who was harmed by Facebook’s policies, you can submit a Claim for a further payment of damages on your Facebook settlement check. However, you must first provide full release of all claims to Facebook. After you submit your Claim, you will receive one of four possible amounts based on the settlement fund, the damages claimed and the strength of supporting documentation. You can also opt out of the settlement if you don’t wish to receive any payment.
In addition to filing a claim for further payment, Class members can file a claim for damages on their Facebook settlement check if they did not receive their check through the initial lawsuit. The initial class size was about 6.9 million, so the total is actually higher than the number of plaintiffs who submitted claims. The class size is currently under litigation to determine whether non-Facebook users in Illinois can also seek damages.
