Millions of Facebook users across the US will soon start receiving payments from a $725 million privacy lawsuit settlement.
The money comes from a legal case that accused Facebook of sharing users' personal data without permission.
According to CBS News, the lawsuit came after a big scandal in 2018 involving a company called Cambridge Analytica.
That company got access to Facebook user information and used it to try and influence voters during the 2016 US election.
After this, many users filed lawsuits saying Facebook had let other companies and advertisers see their private information.
Although Facebook's parent company, Meta, did not admit to any wrongdoing, it agreed to settle the case in December 2022 to avoid a long and expensive trial.
Anyone in the United States who used Facebook between May 24, 2007 and December 22, 2022 could file a claim.
But the deadline to file was August 25, 2023, so only people who submitted claims before that date will receive payments.
After years of anticipation, the payments in a $725 million class action lawsuit against Facebook have finally started to go out, the company in charge of issuing them says. Details: https://t.co/HKOH6RW6T9 pic.twitter.com/z3p4hhEFhv
— KTLA (@KTLA) September 8, 2025
Facebook Settlement Payments Begin Rolling Out in September
The company handling the settlement said payments began going out in early September and will continue for about 10 weeks.
Before receiving money, approved users will get an email with the subject line:
"Facebook User Privacy Settlement – Settlement and Distribution Status Update."
Another email will follow 3–4 days before the money is actually sent. So, if you filed a claim and got approval, it's a good idea to keep checking your email.
The total settlement is $725 million, but not all of that goes directly to Facebook users. First, lawyers' fees and other costs—about $184 million—are taken out.
Around $541 million remains to be shared among the users who filed approved claims, USA Today said.
How much each person receives depends on how long they had a Facebook account during the 15-year period.
For each month someone had an "active" account, they earn one "allocation point." The more points you have, the more money you'll get.
For example, if you used Facebook for 5 years (60 months), you'll likely receive more than someone who used it for just 1 year (12 months).
If you filed a claim, watch for official emails from donotreply@facebookuserprivacysettlement.com.
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