Facebook has agreed to pay $650 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company’s facial recognition technology violated Illinois’ biometric privacy law by collecting and storing biometric data without users’ consent. The settlement was approved by a federal judge in California and will compensate eligible users who were Facebook users in the US since 2011.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can file a claim on the settlement website. The minimum payout is $345, and the actual amount will depend on the number of valid claims filed. This settlement is one of the largest in the history of consumer privacy and has far-reaching implications for the protection of personal data in the digital age.
Facebook’s facial recognition technology uses algorithms to identify and tag users in photos, and it has been the subject of controversy and legal challenges for years. Critics have raised concerns about the potential privacy implications of the technology, particularly when it is used without users’ knowledge or consent.
The settlement highlights the growing importance of protecting personal data and the rights of consumers in the digital age. It serves as a reminder that companies must be transparent about how they collect and use user data, and that users have the right to control their own information.
The settlement is a significant development for the field of consumer privacy and could have implications for other companies that collect and use biometric data. As technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly important for companies to prioritize privacy and security and to take steps to ensure that users’ personal information is protected.
