A pair of objectors are appealing the $725 million Facebook settlement connected to the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal. The ongoing legal wrangling will likely delay settlement payouts to affected Facebook users by many months, according to the official settlement website.
Law.com reported that objectors’ attorneys Kendrick Jan and John Pentz filed an opening brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on May 4 as part of their client’s appeal of the settlement approval granted last year.
On October 10, 2023, The Hill reported U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria’s approval of the Facebook data privacy settlement. Facebook users who were active on the platform between 2007 and 2022 were eligible to submit claims until August 25, 2023.
Facebook Settlement Payout Details
Although there has been a lot of discussion about the payout amount, it is expected to vary based on how long each person has a Facebook account. The payment can vary, but on average, it is about $35.
Each eligible user had been given one “point” for each month they were an active Facebook user within the settlement period. The final distribution of funds to each user will be determined by these factors. Claimants could choose to receive Facebook settlement payments via direct deposit, check, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle Pay, or prepaid MasterCard.
Payment Delay Due To Pending Appeals
Due mainly to two pending appeals that challenge the settlement’s distribution, the payment process is still on hold. No payments will be made until these appeals are addressed. The latest hearings on these appeals will not occur until the first half of 2025, according to a recent update released on September 19, 2023.
There is little chance that any payouts will occur before the middle of 2025 because the court will review the case further after the appeals are decided before distributing the money.
