One of the biggest tech giants in the world might owe you money. Oracle America, Inc. has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged the company tracked people’s online and offline activities and made their data available to third parties without people’s consent. The company has agreed to pay $115 million as part of the settlement. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the settlement about?
The class action lawsuit alleged that from August 19, 2018, to the present, Oracle tracked various aspects of individuals’ online activity, such as their web browsing, and their offline activity, such as their geolocation and in-store purchases, and then sold this data to third parties without obtaining the individual’s consent.
This data was allegedly collected by Oracle Advertising technologies and then sold or otherwise made available to third parties via other Oracle Advertising products or services, including ID Graph and Data Marketplace.
As part of the settlement, Oracle has agreed to pay $115 million.
Why is Oracle settling?
Companies choose to settle class action lawsuits all the time—mainly to save money by being able to avoid a costly trial.
However, it’s important to note that Oracle has not admitted any wrongdoing, nor has any legal entity found that Oracle committed any wrongdoing.
It’s also worth noting that while Oracle and the legal team representing the plaintiffs have agreed to a $115 million settlement, a judge still has to approve it. That hearing will take place on November 14, 2024.
Who is included in the settlement?
Potentially, a lot of people. You are part of the settlement if the following applies, according to the settlement website:
“All natural persons residing in the United States whose personal information, or data derived from their personal information, was acquired, captured, or otherwise collected by Oracle Advertising technologies or made available for use or sale by or through ID Graph, Data Marketplace, or any other Oracle Advertising product or service from August 19, 2018 to the date of final judgment in the Action.”
How much can I get?
Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing that yet. Out of the $115 million, up to $28.75 million could go for attorney fees. There are also other costs that will be deducted from the final settlement fund.
But the remainder will go to anyone who files a valid claim and will be distributed to claimants on a pro rata basis. All valid claimants will receive the same amount, which is dependent on how many people file a valid claim.
What’s the deadline to file a claim?
If you want to file a claim, you can do so online on the official settlement website here. Claims must be filed by October 17, 2024.
Claims can also be filed by mail.
Where can I find out more information?
All the information about the settlement, including how and when to file a claim by, and other important options and dates, can be found on the official settlement website here. Court documents for this lawsuit are also publicly available.
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