Did you receive a notice from Boston Globe? Did you receive a mail about a class action settlement to resolve Boston Globe $5M lawsuit? This review will help you partake in the class action settlement after confirming the authenticity of the mail.
What Is Boston Globe $5M Class Action Settlement?
The Boston Globe knowingly discloses the personal information of its subscribers to Facebook without their consent, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
A Massachusetts federal judge gave the green light to a $5 million class action settlement that would resolve claims the Boston Globe knowingly disclosed the personal information of its subscribers to Facebook without their consent.
On May 25, U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns granted preliminary approval to the deal struck between the publisher and Plaintiff David Ambrose.
If approved, the settlement would allow a $4 million sum to be split among subscribers and an additional $1 million of in-kind payments in the form of one-week extensions to existing subscriptions.
The plaintiff is represented by David S. Godkin and James E. Kruzer of Birnbaum & Godkin, LLP, Joshua D. Arisohn, Philip L. Fraietta, and Christopher R. Reilly of Bursor & Fisher, P.A.
The name of the case is Ambrose v. Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC, Case No. 1:22-cv-10195, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
What Is This Class Action All About?
Plaintiff David Ambrose claims the Boston Globe sends a record of every video clip a subscriber views on bostonglobe.com to Facebook in violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA).
“Defendant violated the VPPA by knowingly transmitting Plaintiff’s and the putative class’s personally identifiable information to unrelated third parties,” the class action lawsuit states.
Ambrose claims the Boston Globe transmits each page subscribers view, including their title and a description along with videos watched, to Facebook.
The Boston Globe is able to send this information by hosting what is called the Facebook Tracking Pixel, which is used to track internet users and their actions, the class action lawsuit alleges.
“When the Facebook Tracking Pixel captures an action, it sends a record to Facebook. Once this record is received, Facebook processes it, analyzes it and assimilates it into datasets like the Core Audiences and Custom Audiences,” the lawsuit states.
Ambrose claims that advertisers, such as the Boston Globe, who integrate the Facebook Tracking Pixel into their website are able to collaborate with the social networking website.
“Boston Globe discloses this information so it can better match visitors to their Facebook profiles, which thereby allows Boston Globe to better target its advertisements,” the class action lawsuit states.
Ambrose further claims that the Boston Globe shares its subscribers’ first and last names and email addresses, which are required when first signing up on the website, with Facebook.
“Boston Globe discloses a subscriber’s email address, first name and last name when inputted into any of the above form fields, which enables Facebook to then match those identifiers with that subscriber’s subsequent activity on the site,” the lawsuit alleges.
Ambrose is demanding a jury trial and requesting injunctive relief along with statutory and punitive damages for himself and all class members. He wants to represent a nationwide class of Boston Globe subscribers who have a Facebook account and have viewed videos on bostonglobe.com.
Who Is Eligible?
The settlement benefits all Boston Globe subscribers.
How To Be Part of This Settlement
For class member to partake in this settlement, class members must submit a valid claim form on the settlement website.
What Is The Pay For This Settlement?
The pay for this settlement varies and the proof of purchase is not necessary.
Conclusion
As you submit your claim to the settlement website, just like the Bank of America class action settlement we have reviewed, you’re doing so under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim.
