Zoom-Bombing Deal Inked, $85M in Class Action Rebates Proposed for Zoom Users Nationwide

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Zoom-Bombing Class Action Settlement Overview: 

• Who: Plaintiffs in consolidated class action lawsuits accusing Zoom of failing to protect their privacy have submitted a settlement worth $85 million for court approval. 
• Why: If approved, those who used Zoom in the past five years may be able to claim a class action rebate worth between $15 and $25 or more.  
• Where: The Zoom-Bombing class action settlement was submitted in California federal court.  

A settlement worth $85 million has been proposed that, if approved, will end a series of class action lawsuits lodged by consumers who claimed their webinars, trainings, and even a bible study were interrupted by “zoom-bombing,” or graphic and heinous images inserted by hackers.  

Settlement documents were submitted in California federal court Saturday. 

“After a year and a half of hard-fought and contentious litigation, and months of concurrent settlement negotiations, the Parties present the Court with an agreement to settle Plaintiffs’ claims against Zoom Video Communications, Inc… on a nationwide, class basis,” states the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary approval.  

The documents outline a deal that will require Zoom to pay $85 million to end class action claims that accused the company of failing to properly secure users from zoom-bombing. Zoom became nearly ubiquitous in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but the proposed Class goes back further. Those who used the platform starting March 30, 2016, may be able to make a claim.  

Class Members who used the free version of Zoom can claim a $15 class action rebate. Those who paid for a subscription can claim a $25 award or 15 percent of their fees, according to the proposed Zoom-Bombing class action settlement.  

Zoom has also agreed to beef up security with moves “designed to improve meeting security, bolster privacy disclosures, and safeguard consumer data,” according to settlement documents. 

“In sum, the Settlement provides an outstanding set of benefits to Class Members and merits preliminary approval,” says the motion.  

A court hearing on the proposed settlement is scheduled for October.  

Zoom-Bombing Affects Remote Workers, Gyms, Even Bible Study 

Zoom skyrocketed in popularity as work, school, and other events went remote; however, consumers were hit with shocking images, such as porn, by hackers who “zoom-bombed” their meetings. Allegedly, the hackers were able to gain easy access to meetings hosted on the platform due to Zoom’s lack of security and privacy.  

In addition to claims that lax security lead to zoom-bombing, users also accused the company of sharing information with third parties, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, without permission. 

Class action lawsuits filed by a church, the University of Southern California, and a virtual pole dance class instructor, among others, were consolidated.  

In March, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh trimmed some of the claims in the Zoom-Bombing class action lawsuit, but refused to toss the litigation.  

Have you used Zoom? Will you take part in the Zoom-Bombing class action settlement? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.   

The plaintiffs are represented by Ahdoot & Wolfson and Cotchett Pitre, Gibbs Law Group LLP.  

The Zoom-Bombing Class Action Lawsuits are In re: Zoom Video Communications Inc. Privacy Litigation, Case No. 5:20-cv-02155-LHK, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Debt Collection Company ‘Recklessly’ Gave Customer Info to Others to Recover Debts, Class Action Alleges
• Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Other Major Chain’s Software and Analytics Service Provider Invades Consumers’ Privacy and Falsely Labels Them Fraudsters, Class Action Alleges
• USA Waste Management Failed Employees With Data Breach, Put Them at Risk of Theft, Class Action Alleges
• ADT Customers Spied on Through Home Cameras Want Class Action, Not Settlement Money