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In 2018, Facebook announced that its parent company, Meta, and political marketing firm, Cambridge Analytica, failed to delete Facebook user data that was unethically obtained. Cambridge Analytica misused personal data to amplify political ads and fuel a voter targeting scheme.

As a result, a federal judge approved Meta's$725 million settlement for a class action lawsuit that claimed Facebook mishandled user data for political purposes. So, if you're in the U.S. and used Facebook between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, you can claim your share of the class action settlement.

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Cambridge Analytica was found to be affiliated with former President Donald Trump and heavily supported his 2016 victory. The plaintiffs alleged that Facebook granted Cambridge Analytica third-party access to user data. 

However, the data and information on Facebook users were accessed without their consent, causing concern for privacy issues. Although Meta denies any wrongdoing, the company agreed to a settlement in December to avoid litigation and increasing legal fees.

This settlement has been dubbed the "largest settlement ever of a privacy class action in the United States," according to Keller Rohrback, one of the law firms involved in the case. 

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According to court documents, between 250 million and 280 million people are eligible for payouts. The amount of money anyone will receive depends on how long they used Facebook during the affected period. 

Payouts also depend on how much of the$725 million remains after legal fees and expenses are considered. If you stopped using Facebook but used the social media site during the affected period, you can still claim your part of the settlement. 

You can make a claim if you still use Facebook or if you used the social media site during the affected period. You have until August 25 at 11:59 Pacific Time to file your claim online or by mail. 

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