Millions of Americans who were users of Facebook are now beginning to receive payouts from a landmark $725 million class-action settlement. This settlement resolves claims that the platform improperly shared user data with third parties without explicit consent, a practice that came to light partly due to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. After legal appeals delayed the process, the settlement was officially finalized in May, and the distribution of funds commenced in early September 2025.

The settlement process has been extensive, with approximately 28 million claims filed, though around 17 million of those were deemed eligible for compensation. Payout amounts are not uniform; they are determined by a point system where each month a user had an active Facebook account between May 2007 and December 2022 counts as one "allocation point." This method ensures that users who were active on the platform for longer periods within the specified timeframe will receive a larger share of the settlement funds.

While the exact amount each claimant will receive varies, legal professionals had previously estimated an average payout of around $30. Some sources indicate that the average payment might be closer to $29.42, with a maximum potential payout of $38.36 for users active throughout the entire class period from 2007 to 2022. It is important to note that these figures are estimates, and the final amounts are contingent on administrative costs, legal fees, and the total number of eligible claimants. The eight lead plaintiffs in the case are set to receive $15,000 each, and the attorneys involved will receive a significant portion of the settlement, estimated at over $180 million.

Eligible claimants are being notified via email from "Facebook User Privacy Settlement Administrator" with the subject line: "Facebook User Privacy Settlement – Settlement and Distribution Status Update." These emails confirm the approval of a claim and provide a claim ID number. The settlement administrator is distributing payments in waves over a period of approximately 10 weeks to manage the volume of claims. Approved claimants are advised to monitor their email for an additional notification approximately three to four days before their payment is issued.

The payment methods chosen by claimants include digital services like PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle, as well as prepaid Mastercards, direct deposits, and paper checks. Meta, Facebook's parent company, has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the litigation but agreed to the settlement to avoid the costs and complexities of a trial. The class-action lawsuit was largely spurred by allegations that Facebook shared private user data with third parties, including the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, which was involved in profiling voters.