Who would've thought Facebook is capable of violating users' privacy? Keep your mouth shut for a second there, because this time, they're paying (maybe) for the privilege. A class action lawsuit against the globe-enveloping social media behemoth was filed on behalf of an estimated 100 million eligible users this past October.
The benefits of which may shortly be paying off modest dividends: Namely a whopping $10 for each user following through with the claim.
The charge is that of Facebook had "unlawfully used some members' information to sell or advertise products and services without obtaining consent. Members' names, profile pictures, photographs, likenesses, and identities were used without permission."
Though numerous news outlets are reporting the story with the dubious caveat of a "daunting at first glance" email Facebook users may have received as regards the suit (and possible compensation), don't be fooled. First of all, the aforementioned version of the settlement agreement is less than thirty pages long and mercifully lacking in too much legal mumbo-jumbo.
Secondly, if you keep up with the suit and proceed (writing to the court or going to the hearing by the stated deadlines), you won't end up as one of those who "will not receive a payment, even if the Court orders payment to Class members."
But, wait! Before you decide on such a profligate outing to the hearing whose upshot might be enough funds for you to grab two cups of coffee at Starbucks, consider what analysts such as PC World's John P. Mello has warned: "There's no guarantee you'll get the money."
You can, as Mello quips, "fill out the claim and see what happens", but there are plenty of others who concur with his implied knowing smirk that what is being called the Fraley Case (Fraley vs. Facebook, Inc.) might leave expectant Facebookers with zilch.
The trouble resides in the proposed settlement's seemingly cut-and-dry clause 2.3: "Each Authorized Claimant [YOU], subject to the limitations stated below [A-HA!] regarding proration of claims or distribution to the Cy Pres Recipients [SOME OF THAT LEGAL MUMBO-JUMBO], is entitled to a one-time cash payment equal to ten dollars ($10) [YOUR TWO STARBUCKS COFFEE DRINKS]."
And that trouble being the number of eligible Facebook users who may cash in, lest we forget: 100 million. With the "Settlement Fund" meaning "twenty million dollars ($20,000,000)" according to Article 1.27 of the proposed settlement, it doesn't take a Mark Zuckerberg to figure out said fund will be depleted faster than all those eligible can get their grubby hands on their delightful dinero.
Now, obviously not every one of the 100 million will be calling or flying in to get what's (possibly) coming to them. Thus, the amount per "Class member" may change.
Then again, the whole thing may be kiboshed and the twenty-mill will just be handed on over to a quorum of non-profits that, according to the long-form version of the legal document, "are involved in educational outreach that teaches adults and children how to use social media technologies safely, or are involved in research of social media, with a focus on critical thinking around advertising and commercialization, and particularly with protecting the interests of children."
Whether or not "protecting the interests of children" includes such provisions as selling the private data of these children to third parties for the purpose of advertising may require a Mark Zuckerberg to figure out, after all.
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