Popular video-sharing application TikTok has agreed to a class action settlement worth $92 million following accusations of unlawfully collecting personal data and users biometric. The defendants have been accused by the plaintiffs of collecting and using personal data of users without their proper consent which is considered as a violation of both federal and state law. Read on to know if you are eligible to file a claim in TikTok Privacy Data Breach settlement.
Eligibility For Making Claim: Residents of the United States who have used the TikTok app prior to 1st October 2021 are eligible to make the claim and be considered as the nationwide Class. The Illinois Subclass comprises residents of Illinois who used the app before 1st October 2021.
Proof Of Purchase: This doesn’t require any proof of purchase.
Potential Claim Amount: While the exact amount of claim reimbursement is yet to be decided, Illinois residents who availed of the app in Illinois for creating videos can get six times the claims of all non-Illinois residents’ courtesy of certain sections in the class action lawsuit. Only one claim is allowed per class member.
Case Summary: This class action settlement is expected to answer more than 20 lawsuits that have been accusing TikTok of not informing users that its facial recognition technology both collects and stores biometric information. TikTok has also failed to obtain any written approval of users prior to such collection and this is in complete violation of federal and state privacy regulations. The social media giant has agreed to stop collecting users’ geolocation, biometric and GPS data using the app. TikTok has also agreed to cease transmission of US data overseas or storing it in overseas databases unless the same is done in compliance with all laws and disclosed in its privacy policy. TikTok will undergo new data compliance training and hire a third party for reviewing compliance training for the coming three years. Amidst the claim settlement process, TikTok has denied collecting the biometric identifiers of users and sharing sensitive US consumer data with the Chinese government.
Claim Form: https://www.tiktokdataprivacysettlement.com/submit-claim.php
Deadline for Submitting Claim: 03/01/2022
Final Hearing Date: 05/16/2022
Settlement Pool: $92 million
Important Note: The judicial system has not passed the ruling in favor of any party and all the allegations of wrongdoing have been denied by the defendant. Both the parties have reached a settlement for avoiding the uncertainties and costs associated with further trial. Class Members filing a valid claim will receive a proportionate share after attorney’s fees and related expenses have been deducted from the settlement fund. The final hearing on approval of the TikTok settlement is expected to be held on 18th May 2020 and parties who wish to either object to or exclude themselves from the settlement can do it within 31st January 2022.
Case Name: In Re: TikTok Inc., Consumer Privacy Litigation,MDL No. 2948, 20-cv-4699, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Claims Administrator
Musical.ly and/or TikTok Class Action
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
1-866-377-2247
[email protected]
Class Counsel
Katrina Carroll
CARLSON LYNCH LLP
Elizabeth A. Fegan
FEGAN SCOTT LLC
Ekwan Rhow
BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER, WOLPERT, NESSIM, DROOKS, LINCENBERG & RHOW PC
Defense Counsel
Anthony J. Weibell
WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI PC