Claim Cash From Facebook Settlement By Friday: How To Apply In FL

FLORIDA — Friday, Aug. 25, is the last day for Facebook users in Florida and around the United States to file a claim for their share of a $725 million privacy settlement from the social media giant.

Any American with a Facebook account at any point over a 15-year period may receive a payment. However, the amount of cash each person can expect is still a little murky, since the split will depend on how many users file claims — and with the guidelines for the settlement recently expanded, there are even more people eligible.

Though the suit is filed in California, Facebook users in Florida and nationwide may submit a claim if they had a Facebook account at any time between May 24, 2007, and Dec. 22, 2022. The settlement includes anyone who deleted one or more accounts before creating a new one during that time period, as well, according to an update Facebook sent to users.

The tentative settlement agreement follows suits alleging the world's largest social media platform provided personal data for millions of its users to Cambridge Analytica, a notorious British consulting firm tapped by Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. In 2018, reporting revealed the firm paid a Facebook app developer to access information from 87 million users, sparking public outcry and Congressional hearings.

As the Los Angeles Times reported, a quarter of the settlement will be paid out to attorneys, leaving less than $550 million for the rest. The eight named plaintiffs are due to receive $15,000 each.

Despite growing competition and stalled growth, Facebook still counts more than 2 billion people among its users worldwide, with roughly 250 million in the United States — so anyone getting a piece of the pie might have to settle for just a few greenbacks.

Eligible users can file claims by filling out an online form or downloading and printing a physical copy. Users will need to supply some basic details, including usernames and contact information, along with the dates they had an account. All claims must be submitted or postmarked before Aug. 26.

A final approval hearing is scheduled for early September, with payments distributed sometime later.

Here's How To Get Paid:

Submit a claim online.

• Download and print a copy, then mail it to:
  • Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator
  • 1650 Arch Street, Ste. 2210
  • Philadelphia, PA 19103
• To be eligible, you must have had a Facebook account at any time between May 24, 2007, and Dec. 22, 2022.
• All claims must be filed by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 25.

Related article: FL Facebook Users Can Claim Cash From Settlement: Here's How To Apply