You Might Be Entitled to a Payout From TikTok

TikTok is arguably one of the most popular social media platforms in the US today. And soon, some of America’s TikTokers could be compensated for time spent on the app.

On November 15, TikTok users in the US received a notification on the short video app, reading, “U.S. residents who used TikTok before 01 OCT 2021 may be eligible for a class settlement payment.”

The notification is also linked to a website for more information.

Screengrab via TikTok

The class-action lawsuit alleges TikTok “collected and used” personal data “without sufficient notice and consent” to users of TikTok or Musical.ly (the app’s predecessor), according to court documents.

ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, agreed to the 92 million USD settlement after more than a year of litigation.

“While we disagree with the assertions, rather than go through lengthy litigation, we’d like to focus our efforts on building a safe and joyful experience for the TikTok community,” a TikTok spokesperson said in an NBC News article.

The settlement is still pending the court’s approval, with a hearing scheduled for May 18, 2022. Once approved, users who filed a valid claim will receive a payment.

An estimated 89 million people will be affected by the settlement. According to NBC, if everyone eligible submits a claim, which is unlikely, most will get about 96 cents. If, however, only 20% of eligible users submit the claim, Illinois residents could receive 28.75 USD, while non-Illinois residents could get 4.79 USD. (The case was filed in Illinois.)

Compared to the whopping 92 million USD settlement, 96 cents and 4.79 USD may sound like peanuts. But if you want to submit a claim (while hoping everyone else won’t), you can visit the TikTok data privacy settlement website for instructions.

Cover image via Unsplash