You have less than a month to get in on Facebook’s $725 million settlement

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Compensation will probably depend on how many people apply

The clock is ticking on Facebook’s $725 million class-action lawsuit settlement. To be considered, eligible class members must file claim forms by August 25, 2023 at 11:59 PM PT.

Are you eligible? Chances are pretty good that you are. If you had a Facebook account between May 2007 and December 2022 you’ve got a shot.

This particular settlement involves privacy lapses and the unauthorized use of Facebook user data to target advertising.

In 2018, Facebook revealed that one of its clients, the political marketing firm Cambridge Analytica, had gained unauthorized access to Facebook user data in order to target political ads on behalf of 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump and the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

The settlement was reached in December 2022 and was the largest class action settlement of its kind at that point, according to the law firm that filed the action. It ended several years of lawsuits and produced Facebook, now Meta policy changes designed to improve user privacy.

To submit a claim, simply go to the settlement website, where you will be asked to enter some information. For example, you’ll be asked to confirm whether you lived in the U.S. for any period between May 2007 and December 2022 and whether you used Facebook during that time.

Additionally, you’ll be asked to provide at least one email address associated with your Facebook account. Eligibility is only open to U.S. residents.

If you’ve since deleted your Facebook account, it doesn’t matter. The claim form only asks you to provide the time period that your Facebook account was active.