Millions of Facebook users in the US started receiving payments of about $40.67 this week as part of a $90 million class-action settlement over the platform’s past data-tracking practices. The payments, made through Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, and check, cap a 15-year court fight over claims that Facebook illegally monitored user activity on third-party websites by using its “Like” button. Here is what they need to know.
Background to Facebook tracking litigation
The transaction settles a lawsuit filed in 2010 which alleged that Facebook (rechristened Meta Platforms) was invading privacy statutes through tracking individuals’ web surfing on websites beyond Facebook that had posted the “Like” button. From April 22, 2010, to September 26, 2011, the site reportedly linked users’ identities with web surfing history even when they logged out of their own accounts. Such practice, plaintiffs alleged, transformed anonymous web-browsing information into personally identifiable data without the consent of users—a potential Federal Wiretap Act violation.
Meta did not acknowledge wrongdoing but settled the $90 million settlement in 2022 to avoid further court proceedings. The firm also agreed to deleting cookie data from this tracking period. After legal recourse and appeals, payments began being distributed on April 10, 2025, following a final court ratification in February 2025.
Eligibility criteria for settlement payments
For a class member to qualify for a payment, they must have met two important requirements:
- Active U.S. Facebook use: The class members should have had an active United States Facebook account at some point within the provided 2010–2011 period.
- Visited external websites with Facebook’s “Like” button: Eligible class members visited a minimum of one external website that incorporated the site’s “Like” button within this period.
Approximately 439,850 claimants were eligible to receive payment after submitting claims on or before September 22, 2022. Claimants who did not do so are no longer eligible because the settlement fund has been depleted.
Distribution of payments and payment amounts
The $90 million in money, reduced by legal fees and administrative fees, ended up as roughly $61.5 million divided among the claimants. Payments were of the same value made to all the recipients, amounting to $40.67 for a majority of people. They were paid by:
- Virtual platforms: Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, or digital prepaid cards
- Paper checks: Mailed to addresses received on filing the claims.
Recipients identified the transactions through names like “Facebook Internet Tracking Settlement Administrator” in their bank apps. Surprisingly, some users in Canada received second payments after another ruling by the British Columbia Supreme Court, though these were restricted to initial distribution claimants who had not yet received their payment.
Steps for recipients and non-recipients
If you received a payment:
- Verify authenticity: Ensure the payment source is the same as the settlement administrator name.
- Cash promptly: Money transferred by e-transfer is valid for 60 days, as per court orders.
- Monitor for updates: Any remaining funds not re-directed may be awarded to cy-près recipients, as per the settlement.
If you did not receive a payment
- Missed deadline: Those who failed to file on time by September 2022 cannot retroactively qualify.
- Eligible activity: Facebook users who did not visit outside websites that featured Facebook’s “Like” button in 2010–2011 were excluded.
Implications and unanswered questions
While Meta’s settlement brings this chapter to a close, it serves as a reminder of ongoing concerns about the data practices of technology firms. The case is also a reminder of the importance of filing claims promptly in class-action cases, as filings are never accepted late. For recipients, the payments are a small but symbolic acknowledgment of privacy invasions—a reminder of bargains that come with digital connectedness.
To date, as of April 14, 2025, there have been no reports of mass fraud, but the consumers should beware of phishing emails that would claim to be notices of settlement.
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