Tampa Bay Times pixel tracking $950K class action settlement

Update:

• The court granted this settlement final approval on March 30, 2024.
• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Settlements & Payouts Facebook group.

The Tampa Bay Times agreed to a $950,000 class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims it tracked website user activity through illegal Meta Pixel tracking.

The settlement benefits consumers who were subscribers to Tampa Bay Times’ and/or recipients of its email newsletter between Jan. 18, 2021, and Dec. 28, 2023, and at the same time had a Facebook account.

Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit claim the Tampa Bay Times tracked their activity and linked it to their Facebook accounts without their consent through Meta Pixel tracking. This tracking allegedly violated the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA).

The Tampa Bay Times is a Florida-based newspaper.

The Tampa Bay Times hasn’t admitted wrongdoing but agreed to a $950,000 settlement to resolve the class action lawsuit.

Under the settlement terms, class members can receive an equal share of the net settlement fund. Payments will vary depending on the number of valid claims filed. No payment estimates are available at this time.

The Tampa Bay Times also agreed to change its website to suspend the use of Meta Pixel tracking on any URLs with video content until it obtains a VPPA-compliant disclosure.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is March 2, 2024.

The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for April 1, 2024.

To receive a settlement payment, class members must submit a valid claim form by April 16, 2024.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits consumers who were subscribers to Tampa Bay Times’ and/or recipients of its email newsletter between Jan. 18, 2021, and Dec. 28, 2023, and at the same time had a Facebook account.

Potential Award

TBD

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

04/16/2024

Case Name

Waller, et al. vs. Times Publishing Co., Case No. 2023-027889-CA-01, in the Florida Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade County

Final Hearing

04/01/2024

Settlement Website

TimesPublishingCompanyVPPASettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Jennifer Waller et al. vs. Times Publishing Co.
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
PO Box 225391
New York, NY 10150 5391
833-462-3515

Class Counsel

Adam Schwartzbaum
EDELSBERG LAW PA

Andrew J Shamis
Edwin E Elliott
SHAMIS & GENTILE PA

Nicholas Coulson
LIDDLE SHEETS COULSON PC

Defense Counsel

Aaron Weiss
David Karp
CARLTON FIELDS PA