Last year, Zoom settled a class action lawsuit claiming that the video chat giant violated privacy rights, and now Zoom users have until Saturday, March 5 to claim their payment. Zoom agreed to pay $85 million to settle the lawsuit alleging that it shared people's personal information with Facebook, Google and LinkedIn without permission -- and allowed hackers to break into virtual meetings in a practice known as "Zoombombing" as the platform skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic.
The preliminary settlement was filed in July 2021 and received approval from a US district judge in San Jose, California, in October.
The settlement gives eligible Zoom customers a refund of either 15% of the cost of a Zoom subscription, or up to $25. So how do you find out if you're qualified to get a payment, and if so, how to claim it? We'll explain below.
Am I eligible to get a payment from Zoom?
If you registered, used, opened or downloaded the Zoom app for personal use (not through an enterprise or government account) between March 30, 2016, and July 30, 2021, you are potentially eligible for the refund from Zoom. This also includes people who signed up for Zoom's free tier.
How much money could I get from Zoom?
If you are eligible based on the date ranges above and you paid for a Zoom account, you could receive 15% of the money paid to Zoom for your subscription during that time or $25 (whichever is greater). If you are eligible but had a free Zoom account, you can claim $15. However, these rates may change depending on how many people file a claim.
Any extra funds will be distributed to those who make a claim "if economically feasible," the settlement said. If not, that extra money will be given to the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation and Electronic Privacy Information Center.
You might be eligible to get some cash from Zoom due to a class action settlement around its privacy practices during the pandemic.
Sarah Tew/CNETHow do I claim my settlement money from Zoom?
The website ZoomMeetingsClassAction.com should be your first stop for more information. The site encourages online filing for the best results, which you can do from the "Submit a Claim" tab. If you received a notice, have your claim number ready. Otherwise, you'll need your Zoom subscription email for your submission.
If you'd rather do things by mail, the site breaks down the process for mail-in submissions. You'll need to fill out a claim form and mail it with any supporting documentation that shows you were affected to:
In Re: Zoom Video Communications, Inc. Privacy Litigation
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 5534
Portland, OR 97228-5534
As part of the settlement, Zoom also said it would continue to take new measures to prevent Zoombombing, such as alerting people when hosts or meeting participants use third-party apps in meetings, and offering specialized privacy training to employees.
"The privacy and security of our users are top priorities for Zoom, and we take seriously the trust our users place in us," a Zoom spokesperson said in a statement. "We are proud of the advancements we have made to our platform, and look forward to continuing to innovate with privacy and security at the forefront."
For more, check out 20 tips for using Zoom like a pro and how to change your Zoom background.
