IL Snapchat Users Could Receive Money As Part Of $35M Settlement

ILLINOIS — Users of the popular social media platform Snapchat may be entitled to some money after state officials maintained in a lawsuit that the company broke Illinois privacy laws.

The lawsuit, like others filed against Facebook and Google, alleges that Snapchat’s parent company, Snap, Inc., violated the state’s biometric information policy act by illegally using users' information without their consent.

On Monday, a settlement amount of $35 million was reached in U.S. District Court in Chicago, but NBC Chicago reported that the amount will need to be approved in a hearing in November.

It's not clear yet much money Illinois Snapchat users can expect to receive, but in the case of the Facebook lawsuit, users received anywhere between $200 and $400 as part of the settlement. Snapchat users have until Nov. 5 to file a claim.

The website for the claim indicates that Snap, Inc. allegedly collected and stored biometric information and identifiers of users through the use of lenses and filters on the Snapchat app. According to classaction.com, the lenses found on the app allow Snapchat users to modify their facial features with special effects using their smartphone camera.

After opening the camera screen within the Snapchat app, users can swipe left to access the different lenses, follow any on-screen prompts such as “raise your eyebrows,” and tap or hold the “capture” button to take a Snap or video, the site said.

Those users wishing to be excluded from the settlement should fill out the information on the website by Oct. 6. Those wishing to file a claim for the settlement may do so here.