Meta Settles Quebec Class Action for $9 Million
Social media giant Meta has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit in Quebec by paying $9 million. This lawsuit alleged that Facebook, Meta’s parent company, violated its users’ privacy by sharing their personal and private information with third parties without consent.
The lawsuit was authorized by the Superior Court in 2021 and represented all Quebec Facebook users since July 27, 2012. Two plaintiffs, Stuart Thiel and Brianna Thicke, pursued the case, claiming Facebook knowingly infringed on its users’ rights by giving third parties unauthorized access to personal information.
Although Meta did not admit to wrongdoing, they settled the class action for $9 million in August. The proposed settlement requires this amount to fund research and teaching at public universities in Quebec that promote and safeguard privacy rights. After legal fees, the money will be distributed equally among the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Concordia University, and Laval University, with the court potentially adding other educational institutions to the list.
The law firm managing this case, Trudel Johnston & Lespérance, seeks 25% of the settlement amount, or $2.25 million, along with expenses and taxes. The court will determine the lawyers’ compensation, and the settlement agreement must receive approval from the Superior Court in February.
