UPDATE: A federal judge granted final approval to the Facebook Sponsored Stories class action settlement on August 26, 2013.UPDATE 2: On Jan. 6, 2016, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s approval of the Facebook Sponsored Stories class action settlement.
UPDATE 3: On Nov. 17, 2016, Top Class Actions readers who submitted timely and valid claims for the Facebook settlement started receiving checks worth as much as $15. Congratulations to everyone who got PAID!
Facebook has reportedly reached a class action lawsuit settlement over allegations it’s “Sponsored Stories” turned users into marketers – without the benefit of getting compensated or the choice of opting out.
The terms of the Facebook Sponsored Stories class action settlement were not immediately disclosed, and the company said it is agreeing in “principal” to settle allegations that its Sponsored Stories advertising platform breached its users’ privacy.
The April 2011 privacy lawsuit claimed the social-networking site did not adequately provide a way to opt out of the advertising program that began in January 2011, which takes the name and profile picture of a Facebook user’s friend and claims the person likes the advertiser.
In December, a federal judge refused Facebook’s request to dismiss the class action lawsuit, ruling that the Plaintiffs had presented a coherent theory of how they were economically injured by the use of their names, photographs and likenesses. The Plaintiffs alleged they deserved compensation for the unauthorized use of their names and likenesses for marketing purposes, and that Facebook’s Sponsored Stories feature violates their right to publicity under California law.
The terms of the Facebook Sponsored Stories class action settlement are undisclosed at this time.
The case is Angel Fraley, et al. v. Facebook, Inc., Case No. 11-cv-1726, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.
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3 thoughts onFacebook Settles “Sponsored Stories” Class Action Lawsuit
UPDATE 3: On Nov. 17, 2016, Top Class Actions readers who submitted timely and valid claims for the Facebook settlement started receiving checks worth as much as $15. Congratulations to everyone who got PAID!
November 2016 – Just received my check! Love when someone like me can get results through class actions that affect all of us.
UPDATE 2: On Jan. 6, 2016, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s approval of the Facebook Sponsored Stories class action settlement.