CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been staying home and working through video chat services, including Zoom.
Zoom has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit over alleged privacy and security issues. The company denied the allegations but agreed to pay an $85 million settlement.
So who's eligible for the money, and how do they file a claim?
THE QUESTION:
If you downloaded or used Zoom before July 31, are you eligible for payments?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, if you downloaded or used Zoom before July 31, you are eligible for payments. According to the settlement website, depending on how many people submit claims, payment amounts may decrease.
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to court documents, a class action lawsuit against Zoom was filed back on July 31 in Federal District Court for the Northern District of California.
The lawsuit alleges privacy and security issues from downloading zoom's applications. According to a court document, zoom reached a settlement and agreed to pay $85 million despite denying the allegations and any liability.
"Usually, in these types of cases there will be a statute federal or state that sets forth how much you can get and so on," Mauney said.
According to the settlement agreement, if you paid for a Zoom meeting app subscription between March 30, 2016, and July 30, 2021, you can file a claim for $25 or 15% of what you paid for the subscription.
The settlement also allows people who registered, used, opened or downloaded the Zoom meeting app between March 30, 2016, and July 30, 2021, to file a claim for $15. Mauney said these types of lawsuits are becoming more common against bigger companies.
"It allows people to combine their efforts in a sense so they can afford a lawyer and have the company stop the conduct and then compensate people for their injury," Mauney said.
Claims must be submitted by March 5, 2022. Click here to submit a claim.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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