THE deadline is looming for Americans to claim a chunk of a $115 million payout due to privacy concerns.
It comes after a class action lawsuit was filed against cloud applications provider Oracle America, Inc. in California in 2023.
AlamyOracle has agreed to pay $115 million after a class action lawsuit was filed in California regarding privacy concerns (stock image)[/caption]
GettyEligible claimants can apply for a chunk of the money but there are only a few days left to do so (stock image)[/caption]
The complaint alleges that the company illegally collected personal information and sold it to third parties for advertising purposes.
“Oracle improperly captured, compiled, and sold individuals’ online
and offline data to third parties without obtaining their consent,” the class action notice claims.
Web activity, purchases made online, geolocation and other personal information were reportedly collected and sold by the company.
Oracle collaborates with the likes of Uber, AMC, and MGM Resorts.
While agreeing to a $115 million settlement, Oracle admits no wrongdoing.
COMPENSATION
Under the terms of the agreement, claimants will receive an equal share of the settlement fund.
It is not currently known how much money each claimant will receive as the net settlement fund will be impacted by how many eligible claims are received.
As well as monetary compensation Oracle is also changing some of its operations in the wake of the lawsuit.
The company will review its privacy systems and will no longer collect user information from forms and referrer websites on its own site.
Those who are eligible for payment will have had their personal information collected and/or sold since August 19, 2018.
Data that was sold may have been made available through ID Graph, Data Marketplace, or another advertising product used by Oracle since the above date.
However, those who believe they are eligible have just four days left to file a claim.
To do so, eligible members are urged to visit the settlement website where they will be directed to a claim form submission portal.
KEY DATES
The final date to submit a form is October 17 with those wishing to object or exclude themselves from the settlement also asked to appeal by this date.
What is a class-action settlement?
CLASS action lawsuits offer groups of people, or ‘classes,’ a way to band together in court.
These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.
When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.
Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.
These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company’s doorstep.
Those who exclude themselves from the settlement will not receive any money but will retain their right to sue Oracle in the future regarding the same complaint.
Meanwhile, eligible claimants who do nothing will not receive any money and will forfeit their legal rights.
A final approval hearing is scheduled for November 14.
This is where a judge will review the settlement and its terms and decide how much money each claimant will receive after various deductions.
Meanwhile, thousands of Americans are eligible for part of a $29.5 million settlement involving Citibank.
Each claimant could get a payment of up to $850 if they were impacted by calls regarding credit card balances between August 15, 2014 and July 31, 2024.
However, the deadline is looming for Citibank customers to take action.