Searchlix In April of 2018, a class action lawsuit was filed against Facebook, Inc. The lawsuit claimed that users who had opted in to have the app record their biometric information such as location data and facial structure were not informed about how this data would be stored and used by the company.
What is a Facebook class-action lawsuit?
A Facebook class-action lawsuit is a lawsuit filed on behalf of a group of people who share a common interest in the suit. In these lawsuits, plaintiffs typically allege that Facebook violated their rights by mishandling data or by misleading them about its privacy and security features.
Why did the lawsuit claim that Facebook collected and stored the biometric data of Facebook users in Illinois without their consent?
The lawsuit, filed by the Illinois Attorney General, alleges that Facebook violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The law requires that companies get consent from users before collecting biometric data, and Facebook is alleged to have violated this requirement by collecting data without consent from users in Illinois.
The suit also claims that Facebook stored this data in violation of its own policies. According to the suit, Facebook is required to delete biometric data within 60 days after it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. However, the suit alleges that Facebook kept this data for an extended period of time.
According to the suit, Facebook has acknowledged that it collected and stored biometric data from users in Illinois, but denies any wrongdoing.
How did the lawsuit progress?
Facebook filed a lawsuit against Cambridge Analytica on Friday, April 4. The complaint alleges that the data firm violated Facebook’s terms of service and privacy policies by harvesting personal information from millions of users without their consent.
According to the complaint, Cambridge Analytica used the data to target political ads during the 2016 presidential election. Facebook is asking for damages and an injunction preventing the company from using user data again.
What are Facebook’s options?
Facebook has three options if it wants to take legal action: file a lawsuit in state court, file a lawsuit in federal court, or negotiate a settlement with Cambridge Analytica. Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks.
If Facebook files a lawsuit in state court, it would likely have to go through the courts in each state where Cambridge Analytica had operations. This could take years, and Facebook may not win every case. If Facebook files a lawsuit in federal court, it could get faster relief but it could also face more complicated legal challenges. And if Facebook negotiates a settlement with Cambridge Analytica, it might not get as much money as it wants or receive any penalties for future violations.
What are the implications of this lawsuit?
Conclusion
If you’re a business owner and have been using Facebook for your marketing purposes, it’s important to be aware of a recent lawsuit that could impact your ability to do so. According to reports, Facebook has filed a patent infringement suit against businesses that are using the social media platform to market their products. In response, many small businesses have pulled their ads from Facebook in order to avoid potential legal problems. If you’re using Facebook for marketing purposes and haven’t taken steps to remove your ad campaign yet, I advise doing so as soon as possible in order to protect yourself from any lawsuits that may come up.
