*Note CCC is not a claims administrator, nor can we provide any information on the status of claims. Please do not reach out with questions about a specific claim, but we are happy to continue helping people file claims.

Since it was passed into law in 2008, we’ve seen many companies settle over alleged violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). From social media superpowers (https://certificateclearing.com/index.php/2021/06/23/a-rundown-of-the-tiktok-consumer-protection-class-action/) to amusement parks (https://certificateclearing.com/index.php/2021/07/02/six-flags-great-america-embroiled-in-bipa-controversy/), it seems like no one can keep themselves from illegally stealing the data of the good people of Illinois. And now, a tech giant with lots of experience in shady data collection joins their ranks.

When we think of Google we think of data. Google has been mining, indexing, and scraping more data than any other company globally, but at what cost. Users of Google’s products tend to be comfortable with the idea of trading their data in exchange for a great user experience. Lately, however, Google has had to deal with stronger privacy laws in states like Illinois, Texas, Washington, California, and New York. 

For the last couple of years, CCC has been tracking dozens of privacy class actions and helped hundreds of people file claims in the Facebook BIPA Settlement. State laws are passed frequently and thus we have to stay on top of these changes as they come. We are excited to see another settlement in Illinois where Google allegedly collected people’s facial biometrics without consent when storing photos on the Google Photos platform. Illinois residents who appeared in a photo in Google Photos between May 1, 2015, and the date of Preliminary Approval (April 25) can receive a slice of the $100 Million settlement. A final approval hearing is scheduled for September and we will continue to monitor the case closely for when claim forms are available.  

Although there are millions of eligible class members, our experience has shown that less than 10% of those who qualify will actually file a claim. Our firm was founded on the basis of helping damaged class members so do not hesitate to reach out with questions. 

Note: Part of the settlement will also require Google to extend opt in notifications to Illinois users thus ensuring consent before continuing to collect data. If you prefer stronger privacy settings, you can elect to opt out entirely and not have Google store your biometrics. This is not the only class action Google is facing, so even though you may not qualify for this case, please stay up to date with our blogs and new settlements. If you think you qualify for the Google BIPA Settlement feel free to contact us and learn how to maximize your claim at 773-849-3121 or oreyes@chicagoclearing.com.