Illinois Facebook Class Action Lawsuit Settlement

Facebook is set to send checks worth hundreds of dollars to one million Illinois residents as part of a $650 million settlement in a class action suit that claimed the social media company violated their privacy laws. That law, known as the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), protects people's physical characteristics from being used without their permission.

Class Action

Facebook users in Illinois could potentially receive compensation as the result of a class action lawsuit filed against the company. They were accused of breaking state privacy laws by collecting and storing facial recognition data without proper consent.

As a result, the social media giant was ordered to pay $397 to all Illinois users affected by this issue - in addition to its $650 million settlement from last year.

A court in Chicago recently ruled that Facebook violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by collecting and storing facial recognition data without consent of those affected. According to attorneys for the plaintiffs, this settlement affects 1.6 million people throughout Illinois and should be distributed within 60 days.

To be eligible for a payout, you must have lived in Illinois for at least 183 days (six months). Furthermore, to receive your payout, your claim must be filed no later than November 23, 2020.

You can start applying for the money now by visiting the Facebook page created to collect claims. There, you will be asked to fill out an application and upload proof of identity and residency.

If your claim is accepted, you'll be sent an email with instructions on how to claim it. Alternatively, you can check Facebook to see if your payout has been approved.

Facebook recently reached a settlement regarding various issues, including its use of auto-tagging technology on photos uploaded to the website. This system employed facial recognition technology to detect and tag individuals in photos.

However, the company announced in 2019 that it would cease using facial recognition on both website and mobile apps, with an end date of 2021.

Facebook was forced to pay out $650 million in a class-action lawsuit over its data collection practices, making it one of the largest settlements ever and an important victory for consumers.

At present, a federal judge has confirmed the Facebook settlement. Funds will be distributed to eligible class members; however, payment may take some time since some members have filed appeals.

Settlement

Facebook has agreed to pay $550 million in order to resolve a class action lawsuit filed in 2015 that claimed its facial tagging feature violated Illinois users' privacy rights. The money came from the settlement of this suit, which claimed Facebook violated the state's Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which requires companies to get consent before collecting or storing personal biometric data such as facial scans and fingerprints.

The settlement requires Facebook to reform its practices and implement additional safeguards for Illinois residents' safety. The lawsuit was brought by Edelson PC, Labaton Sucharow LLP and Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP with counsel from the United States Attorney's Office.

According to the settlement website, eligible claimants were those living in Illinois for 183 days or more between June 7, 2011 and February 26, 2021. They must submit a valid claim form by November 23, 2020 to be eligible for receiving their payout.

Joe Cacchione, 31 from Lockport in Illinois, reported receiving a $397 payment last year and another in March. He expressed his delight at receiving additional funds to purchase an iPod and wedding rings.

Those who filed claims in the original settlement last year are now set to receive additional money, thanks to leftover funds from those who didn't cash their initial checks.

A $350 million settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit brought about by three law firms representing the plaintiff class. This class comprises all Illinois Facebook users who successfully filed their claim before an established deadline.

Kugler notes that this is a landmark settlement in regards to facial recognition technology and it represents an enormous victory for users. Additionally, he adds, it marks progress toward creating national legislation which will enforce strict standards across companies.

Facebook has agreed to invest $550 million in addition to numerous reforms and improvements. It will not collect biometric data unless a user gives consent, and will take steps to reduce the potential harm experienced by Illinois residents.

Class Members

Class members in the Illinois facebook class action lawsuit include anyone living in Illinois and who received a face template after June 7, 2011. It marks one of the earliest legal tests for the Biometric Information Privacy Act, which prohibits companies from collecting and storing users' biometric data without their consent.

In this case, plaintiffs contend that Facebook broke the law by using facial recognition technology in its "Tag Suggestions" feature, enabling people to identify themselves through photos posted on its social media platform. This is just one of a number of lawsuits filed against Facebook over its use of facial recognition and other technologies.

The company has a history of violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act and has been sued by multiple states, including California for its use of facial recognition technology. A federal judge recently approved a $650 million settlement between Facebook and plaintiffs last year; however, payment has yet to be distributed as two Illinois class members appealed the ruling.

According to lawyers from Robbins Geller, this is the largest privacy settlement of its kind in America. "This is truly a landmark decision," said Paul J. Geller, partner at Robbins Geller and one of the attorneys responsible for negotiating it.

He emphasizes the significance of this case, not only due to the size of the settlement but also because of the participation rate among class members. According to He, "this settlement will provide real money to people during a time of economic uncertainty."

To determine whether you belong in the Facebook class, visit the settlement website. To be eligible, you must have lived in Illinois for six months (183 days) and received a face template after June 7.

By November 23, 2020, you must submit a claim form. You can file this online or via postal service; the claim form will indicate what compensation is due and how to apply. Furthermore, you can check on the progress of your claim at any time by calling the Settlement Administrator.

Defendants

If you were one of the 1.6 million Illinois Facebook users who received $397 checks last year, chances are good that you may be due for another payout. That's because not everyone cashed their first checks and there is money remaining in the settlement fund that is being distributed to Class Members who did cash them.

In 2015, a group of plaintiffs filed suit against Facebook in California, alleging the social network violated the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by collecting and storing data about physical characteristics like faces and fingerprints without notifying users they were being collected or asking for their consent. Ultimately, the case ended with one of the largest settlements ever in an online privacy lawsuit with Facebook agreeing to pay $650 million as part of a $650 million settlement.

After the settlement was approved by a federal judge, an experienced claims administrator began reaching out to eligible class members and sending them personalized notices via mail or email. If you were contacted by this administrator, you'll receive either a Notice ID and Confirmation Code to enter on the claims website which will determine if you qualify for money awards.

Illinois Facebook Settlement: Another illustration of how the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) has spurred a wave of new litigation against tech companies. Within just a few years, BIPA has spawned thousands of suits against companies like fast food chain White Castle and WeWork; these court rulings have alarmed business leaders across America.

These rulings have made it simpler for plaintiffs to assert that a company has hacked, stolen or sold their data without consent. Furthermore, companies now face more legal challenges alleging improper tracking of customers across multiple websites.

Over the past few months, the Illinois Supreme Court has issued several opinions that have interpreted the law in a favor of plaintiffs, restricting what companies can prove as a violation of statute. This has caused quite a stir among plaintiffs' attorneys.