If you want your share of Facebook’s $725 million settlement over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, you need to act fast. Anyone who had a Facebook account between May 24, 2007 and December 22, 2022 is eligible for cash payment, but in order to receive that payment, you need to file a claim by August 25, 2023. Otherwise, you won’t get anything.
As we explained earlier this year, the individual payments will likely be relatively small.
According to the settlement agreement, up to 25% of the $725 million settlement fund can be used to pay attorneys’ fees. Reimbursement of any attorney expenses will also come from the fund. In the end, more than 200 million Facebook users in the United States will likely end up splitting around $540 million, depending on how many users submit a claim.
How to get your share of the Facebook settlement
You already missed the deadline to opt out of the settlement, so you might as well get something from it. Here’s what you need to do to submit a claim:
- If you were a Facebook user at any point between May 24, 2007 and December 22, 2022, go to FacebookUserPrivacySettlement.com/#submit-claim in your browser.
- Fill out the required fields, including your contact information, details about your Facebook account, and your payment option.
- Depending on which payment option you choose, you might have to log in to the account of the service you chose, such as PayPal or Venmo.
- Sign your name at the bottom of the page and hit the Submit button.
According to the website, the final approval hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. PDT on September 7, 2023. If the court approves the settlement, there may be appeals, but once they’re resolved, “payments will be distributed as soon as possible.”
