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Gannett Newspaper Subscriber Disclosures Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Christepher Batts filed a class action lawsuit against Gannett Co.
- Why: Batts claims Gannett unlawfully discloses the private reading information of its Michigan-based newspaper subscribers to third parties.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Michigan federal court.
Gannett Co. unlawfully disclosed to third parties detailed information about its Michigan-based newspaper subscribers, causing them to receive unwanted junk mail, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Christepher Batts claims Gannett rented, exchanged or otherwise disclosed the private reading information of its newspaper subscribers in Michigan to data appenders, data cooperatives, data aggregators and list brokers, among other third parties.
Batts argues Gannett’s alleged actions are a violation of Michigan’s Preservation of Personal Privacy Act and puts its subscribers at risk.
“Gannett’s disclosure of Private Reading Information and other individualized information is not only unlawful but also dangerous because it allows for the targeting of particularly vulnerable members of society,” the class action lawsuit states.
Batts claims he purchased a subscription to USA Today directly from Gannett and was not told that his private reading information would be disclosed, which he also argues he did not authorize the company to do.
Gannett Never Gave ‘Written Notice’ That It Would Disclose Info
Further, Batts argues he was never provided “a written notice that Gannett rents, exchanges or otherwise discloses its customers’ Private Reading Information, or any means of opting out,” according to the class action lawsuit.
Batts claims, in addition to disclosing his private reading information to third parties, that the company also rented or exchanged mailing lists containing his private reading information without first obtaining his consent.
“While Gannett profits handsomely from the unauthorized rental, exchange and/or disclosure of its customers’ Private Reading Information and other individualized information, it does so at the expense of its customers’ statutory privacy rights,” the class action lawsuit states.
Batts is demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory relief and an award of $5,000 for himself and to each class member.
Batts wants to represent a class of Michigan residents who had their private reading information disclosed to third parties by Gannett before July 30, 2016.
A separate class action lawsuit was filed against Gannett in 2019 over claims the company failed to get consent before placing a large number of telemarketing calls targeting consumers.
Have you had your private reading information sold, exchanged or otherwise disclosed by Gannett? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Frank S. Hedin and Arun G. Ravindran of Hedin Hall LLP; Joseph I. Marchese and Philip L. Fraietta of Bursor & Fisher, P.A.; and E. Powell Miller, Sharon S. Almonrode, Dennis A. Lienhardt and William Kalas of The Miller Law Firm, P.C.
The Gannett Newspaper Subscriber Disclosures Class Action Lawsuit is Batts v. Gannett Co., Case No. 4:22-cv-10685, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
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2 thoughts onGannett Class Action Claims Company Disclosed Newspaper Subscribers’ Private Reading Info Without Consent
This company controls my Farmington, NM paper. I finally cancelled my subscription last month, and wondered why I was getting so many calls since I sign “non consent ” with everyone I deal with
Have had a subscription to the Herold Times in Bloomington, In for decades. They use Gannett at least for their online subscriptions, which I have an online account as well as a physical newspaper delivered to us. I have had numerous telemarketing calls, many voicemails with scammers leaving constant voicemails. It never ends.