(NEXSTAR) — Don’t procrastinate any longer – if you haven’t submitted a claim for a piece of the massive Facebook lawsuit settlement, the hours to do so are numbered.
The deadline to file a claim is on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023.
If you file a claim by mail, it has to be postmarked by that date. If you file it online, it needs to be done by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time the night of Aug. 25.
Millions of Americans qualify – why put it off any longer? Here’s what you need to know about getting your payment.
What is the lawsuit about?
Facebook parent company Meta recently agreed to pay a $725 million sum to settle claims it allowed people’s personal data to be shared with third parties. The most famous third party to get access was Cambridge Analytica, a consulting firm that supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Meta agreed to the payout but denies any wrongdoing.
Who qualifies for a payment?
The criteria is pretty simple: “If you were a Facebook user in the United States between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, inclusive, you may be eligible for a cash payment,” the settlement details state.
People who deleted their Facebook accounts in that time period may also be eligible, but they will likely receive a smaller payment. How big your payout is depends in part on how long your account was active.
How do I file a claim?
There are two ways to submit a claim: online or by mail.
To file online, you’ll need to click here, answer a few questions about yourself, and then decide how you’d like to be paid (prepaid gift card, direct deposit, PayPal, etc.).
To file by mail, you’ll need to print some forms and send them in to the settlement administrator in Philadelphia.
Two major factors remain unclear: how big each individual’s payment will be, and when the payments will be sent out.
After the Friday claim deadline, there is still a final settlement hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 7, 2023. At the very earliest, payments wouldn’t be sent out until the settlement is finalized on that date.