Google, now part of parent company Alphabet, has agreed to settle a lawsuit, paying consumers $23 million. Just about everyone in the country could be eligible for a small slice of the pie.
In 2013 Google found itself a defendant in a class-action lawsuit alleging that the search giant violated users' privacy by selling their search terms to other websites.
Besides the obvious privacy issue, the plaintiffs pointed out that search terms often contain sensitive personally identifiable information (PII). They said the terms could include names, addresses and even credit card numbers.
Here’s who’s eligible for compensation:
People who used Google’s search engine between Oct. 25, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2013
When using it, people who clicked on a link in the search field
That’s it. As you might expect, millions of Americans are eligible to receive compensation under the settlement.
$7.70 payout
The estimated payment per person – which can vary depending on how many people make a claim – is only $7.70. But that’s a lot more than the original amount. The initial settlement was for only $8.5 million, meaning claimants would get only four cents.
The final approval hearing for all the claims will take place on October 12, 2023.