TikTok Settles $92 Million Class-Action Lawsuit: How to Claim Your Share

TikTok is no stranger to user privacy concerns. This time, allegations have resulted in a $92 million class-action lawsuit, and you might get a share.

If you or your child uses TikTok, you may be in for a share of a huge payout from the popular video-sharing social media company.

That's because TikTok has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for nearly $100,000,000 over personal data from its users in the US. Keep reading to find out how to claim your share of the settlement.

TikTok Agrees to Settle $92 Million Class-Action Settlement

TikTok users may be eligible for a share of $92 million as part of a class-action settlement that TikTok has agreed to.

In fact, if you're a TikTok user in the US, you may have received a notification on the app about submitting a claim for compensation and wondered, like others, if this is a scam. It isn't.

Back in February 2021, ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, agreed to pay $92 million back as part of a class-action settlement. This was to settle allegations that it violated federal and state law by collecting and using personal data from users without their consent, although it denies these allegations.

Related: Reasons TikTok Is Bad for Everyone

The settlement, which affects an estimated 89 million TikTok users, is the result of 21 lawsuits filed against the company in Illinois.

According to NBC News, these lawsuits allege that TikTok uses a “complex system of artificial intelligence to recognize facial features in users’ videos” and that it analyzes faces to “determine the user’s age, race/ethnicity, and gender … to recommend content and profiles for the user to follow.”

How to Claim Your Share in TikTok's $92 Million Settlement

According to TikTok's settlement website, you may be entitled to a portion of the $92 million settlement if you're a TikTok user residing in the United States, and if you've used TikTok—or the now-defunct Musical.ly—prior to September 30, 2021.

And if you live in Illinois and used TikTok or Musical.ly to create videos in the state, you could receive an even higher payout—six times more than non-Illinois residents. This is because Illinois is the only state in the nation that allows people to sue companies for violating biometric privacy laws.

ByteDance will also cover your costs related to claiming your share. That includes your attorneys’ fees and other costs like the administrative costs of the settlement.

To claim your share of the $92 million settlement, or on behalf of a minor or child under the age of 18, you'll have to fill out and submit a claim form by March 1, 2022.

If the court approves the settlement and consider your claim valid, you will receive an electronic payment in due time, unless you opt for another form of payment. Related: Is TikTok Safe for Kids? A Guide for Parents

What to Know if You Choose to Claim

If you choose to claim your share of the settlement, there are some things you'll have to keep in mind.

While $92 million may sound like a lot of money, bear in mind that it will be shared among an estimated 89 million TikTok users—including lawyers' costs, admin costs, and other costs— that's if all eligible users claim their share. That's not much money to go around.

NBC estimates that if all eligible users apply, most would only receive about 96 cents after attorneys' fees are deducted, and Illinois residents would get an estimated $5.75.

Finally, a court still has to approve the settlement. That means that you will only receive your share of the settlement if the court approves it so it becomes final and effective, and if you remain in the "settlement class," those whose claims the court deems to be valid.

However, there's no telling how the settlement process will go, how many people will apply, or how many applications the court will approve, so you should still apply if you wish to do so, and hope for the best.

You could say this doesn't put TikTok in the best position regarding user privacy. In the meantime, be wary of how you use the social media app, and social media in general.

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