Hereβs what you need to know about the settlement.
How do I claim part of the settlement?
No details have been released regarding how Illinois Facebook users can claim their money. A federal judge in San Francisco still must approve the settlement, and there are no details yet about how eligibility will be determined.
Itβs unclear, for example, how individuals with two Facebook accounts will be treated. Itβs also unclear how Facebook users who moved in or out of Illinois in recent years will be treated. Eventually, those who are eligible will be notified.
Sangamon County Board member and long-time Springfield firefighter Tim Krell was waiting for Frank Edwards at his auto body shop when word came down that something might be wrong with the plane carrying Edwards, his wife Cinda and friend John Evans.
Those details have not been released.
How many Facebook users are eligible for payouts and how much could I get?
An estimated 5 million to 6 million Illinois Facebook users could be included in the class, said Paul Geller, one of the attorneys representing consumers in the case. The final payout will depend on how many users make claims, but itβs possible users could receive a couple of hundred dollars.
A judge previously defined the class as Facebook users in Illinois from whom the tech giant created a stored face template after June 7, 2011. That is the date Facebook said its tag suggestion feature was available in most countries.
How did this lawsuit start?
The settlement stems from a federal lawsuit filed in Illinois nearly five years ago that alleges Facebook violated a state law protecting residentsβ biometric information. Biometric information can include data from facial, fingerprint and iris scans.
When the suit was filed, Facebookβs tag suggestion feature used facial recognition software to match usersβ new photos with other photos theyβre tagged in. The feature groups similar photos together and suggests the names of friends in the photos.
Why are only Illinois users impacted?
Illinois has one of the strictest laws in the nation protecting residentsβ biometric information. The 2008 law mandates companies collecting such data obtain prior consent from consumers, detailing how theyβll use it and how long it will be kept.
Notably, the law also allows private citizens to sue, which is what occurred in this case.
Has Facebook changed its practices?
Yes. Geller said Facebook has altered its platform for Illinois users. The social media company did not respond to a request for details about what changes it made.
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