Facebook parent Meta to settle Cambridge Analytica scandal case for US$725 million
- Payment settles long-running lawsuit that claimed Facebook illegally shared user data with research firm Cambridge Analytica
- The plaintiffs called the US$725 million settlement ‘historic’, and the largest ever in a US data privacy class action
Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc has agreed to pay US$725 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit accusing the social media giant of allowing third parties, including Cambridge Analytica, to access users’ personal information.
The proposed settlement, which was disclosed in a court filing late on Thursday, would resolve a long-running lawsuit prompted by revelations in 2018 that Facebook had allowed the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica to access data of as many as 87 million users.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs called the proposed settlement the largest to ever be achieved in a US data privacy class action and the most that Meta has ever paid to resolve a class-action lawsuit.
“This historic settlement will provide meaningful relief to the class in this complex and novel privacy case,” the lead lawyers for the plaintiffs, Derek Loeser and Lesley Weaver, said in a joint statement.
Meta did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, which is subject to the approval of a federal judge in San Francisco. The company said in a statement settling was “in the best interest of our community and shareholders”.
“Over the last three years we revamped our approach to privacy and implemented a comprehensive privacy programme,” Meta said.