Facebook has to pay $ 200 to $ 400 to more than 1.5 million people, and that number could rise in the future. The payment is the result of a seven-year lawsuit worth $ 650 million filed in Illinois. The social network violated the state law on the confidentiality of biometric information.
The claimants claim that Facebook stored biometric data of its users without their consent and without informing them properly. The data was used for features featuring face recognition technology, including suggesting people who could be tagged in photos.
The Illinois Biometrics Privacy Act, which some law firms have called one of the strongest protections for biometric data in the United States, went into effect in 2008. The law establishes a number of rules regarding the collection and storage of biometric data. data, including consent requirements and the right to disclosure. It also prohibits making money from the collection and use of biometric data.
Full and partial Illinois residents who created and maintained a “face pattern” on Facebook after June 7, 2011 are considered victims and are eligible for a settlement. Some Illinois residents have already received checks. The deadline for filing a claim for part of this settlement expired on November 11, 2020.