SNAPCHAT SETTLES ILLINOIS CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT FOR $35M
Add to favoritesA settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit that will cost Snapchat's parent company millions of dollars.
According to snapillinoisbipasettlement.com, Snapchat has agreed to pay $35 million to Illinois residents who used the app's "lenses" or "filters" features between Nov. 17, 2015 and today.
The lawsuit – known as "Boone, et al. v. Snap Inc." – accuses Snapchat of collecting "biometric data" without their consent, a violation of the Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, or BIPA.
Residents wishing to receive part of the settlement must submit a claim by Nov. 5. Claims can be filed at snapillinoisbipasettlement.com.
At the heart of the issue is Snapchat's photo filter feature. Each time a user takes a selfie or uses a filter, that person’s facial features are scanned.