The Facebook Biometric Information Privacy Litigation Class Action Settlement: What You Need to Know
Facebook has recently agreed to pay $650 million as part of a settlement to a class action lawsuit that alleged the social media giant violated Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act. This law protects the biometric information of Illinois residents, including facial recognition data, fingerprints, and other biometric identifiers. The lawsuit claimed that Facebook collected and stored this information without obtaining proper consent.
Background on the Biometric Information Privacy Act
The Biometric Information Privacy Act was enacted in 2008 to protect Illinois residents’ biometric privacy. It requires companies to obtain written consent from individuals before collecting their biometric data and to provide details regarding the purpose and length of time they will store that data. The law also mandates that companies must securely store biometric data and disclose any breaches.
The Facebook Biometric Information Privacy Litigation
The class action lawsuit, initially filed in 2015, claimed that Facebook violated the Biometric Information Privacy Act by collecting biometric information from its users without obtaining proper consent. The lawsuit specifically focused on Facebook’s use of facial recognition technology, which scans photos and suggests tags for users.
After years of litigation, Facebook agreed to pay $650 million to settle the class action lawsuit. The settlement is one of the largest ever paid for a privacy violation.
As part of the settlement, Facebook will also be required to notify Illinois users about its photo-tagging technology and obtain their consent before using their biometric data for this purpose. Facebook will also be required to delete any previously collected biometric information unless they obtain proper consent.
Implications for Privacy Lawsuits
The Facebook biometric information privacy litigation is significant because it sets a precedent for privacy lawsuits in the future. It reinforces the importance of obtaining proper consent before collecting biometric data and holding companies accountable for violations of privacy laws.
Conclusion
The Facebook Biometric Information Privacy Litigation Class Action Settlement has significant implications for both Facebook and the privacy landscape as a whole. Companies that collect biometric data must ensure that they are obtaining proper consent and following relevant privacy laws. Consumers can take comfort in the fact that companies will be held accountable for violations of their privacy.
