Facebook’s $725 million privacy settlement is sending bonus checks — some are worth less than a cup of coffee.
Nearly three years after Facebook users filed claims in a massive privacy settlement tied to the improper sharing of data with the political consulting firm, some claimants are receiving a surprise second payment. But don’t get too excited. Unlike the initial checks that arrived last year, which were already less than thrilling, this second round is the result of uncashed checks and leftover funds that are being redistributed.
Under the terms of the settlement, any unclaimed money is redistributed to claimants who successfully received and cashed their initial payout.
The settlement traces back to the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal that rocked Facebook in 2018, when it was revealed that a political consulting firm had harvested data from as many as 87 million users without their consent and used it to build voter profiles for targeted political ads. The fallout sparked congressional hearings, a public grilling of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and billions in penalties, ultimately culminating in the $725 million privacy settlement that’s still sending checks to users years later.
According to Angeion, the settlement administrator handling the payout, approximately 28 million claims were filed.
“As far as we can tell, that’s the largest number of claims ever filed in a class action in the United States,” Lesley Weaver, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the case, said in court.
According to settlement administrators, the average supplemental payment is expected to be about $4.72, which, as some users pointed out, is wildly ironic given Zuckerberg’s financial stature.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, denied wrongdoing but agreed to the $725 million settlement in 2022, paving the way for payouts to millions of users who filed claims. The first round of payments began in 2025, with award amounts varying based on how long a claimant maintained a Facebook account and the total number of approved claims submitted.
But of the $725 million, a large portion was spent on legal expenses and administrative fees, according to The Hill, which left about $556 million to split among class members. Now, about $100m remains.
“Wow! The possibilities are endless! As long as those possibilities are centered around a gift card. $30 hush money for 15 years of data mining doesn’t exactly seem fair,” said one Reddit user.
Others compared the price to less than a fast-food meal.
“Might end up being the most pathetic class action suit in history. Not even enough for a McDonald’s Value Meal,” joked another.
While any unexpected cash is welcome, in other words, yes, Facebook may owe you money. Just don’t start planning your vacation around it.
