How Wisconsin's Facebook Users Can Claim Cash From A $725M Settlement

WISCONSIN — Many across Wisconsin will have a chance to claim a piece of a $725 million privacy settlement after a judge tentatively approved a deal between Facebook owner Meta and attorneys representing plaintiffs from several class-action lawsuits.

According to the Associated Press, any American who had a Facebook account at any point since May 2007 can apply for a part of the settlement. How much cash people can expect to get is still murky, though, because the split depends on how many users file a claim.

Around a quarter of the settlement will be paid out to attorneys in the case, leaving around $550 million, according to a report by The Los Angeles Times. The eight people named as plaintiffs are expected to get $15,000 each.

Facebook counts over 2 billion users on its platform with roughly 250 million of those in the United States, although growth has appeared to stall as competition increases.

The tentative settlement agreement comes after lawsuits accused the world's largest social media platform of providing personal data from millions of its users to Cambridge Analytica, a British consulting firm that gained notoriety after being tapped by Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The firm paid a Facebook developer to access information from 87 million users, reporting revealed in 2018.

Facebook users who are eligible for the settlement can file a claim online or by printing a physical copy. People will need to provide some basic details like usernames, contact information, and the dates they had an account. The claims must be submitted or mailed by Aug. 26.

In September, a final approval hearing is expected, with payments expected 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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.