A sizable privacy settlement with Criterion Collection, one of the largest film distributors and streaming service providers, is approaching its deadline to make a claim. Eligible Americans have only a limited time remaining to file their portion of a $4.5 million settlement of claims for purported unauthorized dissemination of subscriber information.
History of the settlement
The Criterion Collection runs the Criterion Channel, an online movie streaming service. From September 27, 2022, through December 27, 2024, it was purportedly sharing third-party subscribers’ personally identifiable data (PII) and video viewing data with companies like Meta (previously Facebook) and Twilio without consent. This policy was challenged in a class action suit brought on September 27, 2024, charging violations of several privacy statutes including the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) of the federal government and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA).
While The Criterion Collection does not admit any fault, it settled the allegations for $4.5 million in order to settle the case and dispose of the matter.
Who is eligible?
You would have had to have done the following in order to be eligible for award of compensation from the settlement:
- Be a U.S. resident who was a Criterion Channel service subscriber or registered user as of September 27, 2022, or at any time between then and December 27, 2024.
- Watch at least one pre-recorded video using the Criterion Channel during the above period.
- Usage is by access on the CriterionChannel.com website, mobile apps (iOS or Android), or other devices like Roku, tvOS, Android TV, Fire TV, Samsung TV, and Xbox.
No evidence of financial losses or damages must be provided to receive a payment, so this settlement is accessible to all eligible users.
Claim process and deadline
Qualifying class members need to file an eligible claim form in order to receive payment. Claim can be submitted online or by mail. Online claims use a class member ID on the individualized notice of settlement, and mailed claims must be postmarked by the date.
Important dates:
- Claim deadline: August 19, 2025
- Exclusion and objection deadline: August 19, 2025
- Final hearing of approval by the court: October 15, 2025
Not filing on or before August 19 to make a claim forfeits the right to be paid from this settlement.
Settlement payment terms
The $4.5 million settlement fund will be paid pro-rata to all prevailing claimants after payment of administration costs, attorney fees, and service awards. Nobody knows how much per person will be paid, but estimates range that prevailing users may receive as much as $5,000 per user depending on the number of claims made.
The payments will be made in the range of about 60 to 70 days from the time of the final court approval of the settlement.
Privacy protections in the future
As a condition of the settlement, The Criterion Collection has agreed to end its use of the Meta pixel and other similar tracking technologies to send video-watching data to third parties until privacy laws like the VPPA are changed or eliminated. This adjustment is intended to avoid future unauthorized disclosures of subscriber information.
Why this settlement is important
This case brings to the fore increasing concerns about online privacy and data-sharing behaviors of digital platforms and streaming companies. It underlines the need for companies to be granted clear, unambiguous user consent prior to sharing data with third parties, particularly sensitive video-viewing habits.
Unlike some other evidence-based data breach settlements, this settlement allows consumers to recover based on use and subscription alone, and this facilitates the recovery of affected consumers.
What to do
If you used or subscribed to the Criterion Channel during the class period and streamed content that was recorded, you should:
- Find your individualized notice of settlement or go to the settlement website.
- Claim online or download, complete and send the paper claim form.
- Make sure your claim is submitted or postmarked by August 19, 2025.
- Failing to do so will result in losing your chance for payment from this $4.5 million settlement fund.
This settlement is a one-time opportunity for streaming users to recover compensation for privacy intrusions without having to prove damages. Act soon to not miss out on your share of the settlement.
