In 2021 it was announced that a judge had approved a $650 million settlement to award compensation to Illinois users over a claim made against the use of facial recognition tagging and tracking within the platform.
But what was the settlement all about and how can users make their own claim?
What Was the Issue That Led to the Settlement?
The issue outlined by the attorney who sought to sue Facebook, was that the ‘Suggested Tags’ feature in Facebook stored biometric data without seeking prior approval from the user.
This move from Facebook directly contradicts Illinois law which promotes Biometric Privacy for all residents.
As such, the storing of biometric data to use for the tagging function meant that Facebook had breached the privacy conditions of the state and was liable to pay its 1.6 million users in and around Illinois.
What Did Facebook Do in Response?
As well as ultimately being requested to pay the settlement to Illinois, Facebook made the facial recognition tool and storing of biometric data an opt-in feature that users had to agree to prior to it being stored and used by the platform.
The payouts for users amounted to $345 per individual, with the named plaintiffs in the lawsuit receiving $5,000 each.
On top of the financial payout, the success of the result further solidified the importance of digital privacy and consumer rights in Illinois.
Proof that not every user is happy to have their data stored, especially when it has to do with biometrics and with personal identity. Is this an issue that you have considered in the past – and how do you feel about biometric data being stored by Facebook for use on the platform?
