Published
July 9, 2026
Michigan has a little-known law: don't publicly show more than four digits of someone's Social Security number. A class action says Thomson Reuters' research tools showed five — and that each slip could be worth $1,000.
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This article describes a class action complaint. The statements below are unproven allegations, and Thomson Reuters says it strongly disputes them. No court has found liability, there is no certified class, and nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
What Is This About?
Thomson Reuters — the company behind Westlaw and the CLEAR investigative-research platform — is facing a proposed class action over how much of a Social Security number its tools allegedly showed. The case, Johnston v. Thomson Reuters America Corporation, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on April 30, 2026. It alleges that Thomson Reuters' CLEAR and Westlaw PeopleMap products publicly displayed five sequential digits of individuals' Social Security numbers to platform users, and that the complaint includes screenshots of both platforms showing it.Why five matters: Michigan's Social Security Number Privacy Act draws the line at four. Displaying more than four sequential digits is what the complaint says crossed it. The allegations are unproven — Thomson Reuters has said it "places a high priority on privacy," "strongly dispute[s] the allegations," and intends to defend the case. No class has been certified, and there is no settlement and nothing to claim.
Status
Complaint Filed
Johnston v. Thomson Reuters America Corp. · E.D. Mich. · filed April 30, 2026
The Allegation
CLEAR & Westlaw PeopleMap displayed 5 sequential SSN digits
Michigan law bars publicly displaying more than 4 sequential digits
The Law
Michigan Social Security Number Privacy Act (MCL 445.81 et seq.)
Up to $1,000 per violation in statutory damages
Can I Claim?
No — nothing to claim yet
No settlement, no fund, no claim form
What Michigan's SSN Privacy Act Requires
Michigan's Social Security Number Privacy Act, enacted in 2004 and codified at MCL 445.81 and following, sets rules for how businesses can handle Social Security numbers. The operative prohibition here, MCL 445.83, bars a person from intentionally publicly displaying "all or more than 4 sequential digits" of a Social Security number. Practically, that is why the standard truncation you see elsewhere — "XXX-XX-1234," showing only the last four — stays on the right side of the line. The complaint alleges CLEAR and Westlaw PeopleMap showed five sequential digits, one more than the statute allows, which is the entire basis of the case.The Claim and What's Sought
The suit brings a single state-law claim under the Michigan SSN Privacy Act. Michigan law allows recovery of up to $1,000 per violation, and the complaint seeks that amount for the named plaintiff and each class member, plus prejudgment interest, attorneys' fees, and costs. The proposed class is Michigan residents whose Social Security numbers were displayed on the platforms. The case is led by the firms Bursor & Fisher and The Miller Law Firm. To be clear about the defendant: the named entity is Thomson Reuters America Corporation — not the parent Thomson Reuters Corporation, and not a 2019 Michigan SSN case against a different Thomson Reuters entity.A Standing Hurdle to Watch
This kind of case faces a known obstacle. An earlier Michigan SSN Privacy Act class action was dismissed without prejudice, a result the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed and the Michigan Supreme Court declined to review — reportedly because the plaintiff failed to plead actual damages from the display. That history signals a real defense argument here: Thomson Reuters can be expected to contend that merely displaying digits, without a concrete harm, is not enough to sue. Whether this complaint clears that bar is one of the first questions the court will face. Nothing has been decided.Not the Same as the CLEAR California Settlement
OCA already covers a different Thomson Reuters CLEAR case, and the two are easy to confuse. The earlier matter was a $27.5 million California CLEAR privacy settlement alleging CLEAR collected and sold personal data without consent; that case is settled and its claim window closed in December 2024. The new Michigan case is a separate lawsuit — a different state, a different statute (the Michigan SSN Privacy Act), a different theory (displaying SSN digits rather than selling data), and it adds Westlaw PeopleMap. If you are trying to file for the California CLEAR settlement, that deadline has passed; this Michigan case does not reopen it.Is There Anything to Claim?
No. This is a newly filed complaint, not a settlement. There is no certified class, no fund, and no claim form, and no deadline. If the case were to settle later, a court-approved notice would explain who qualifies and how to file. For now, there is nothing to claim.This page is informational and is not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Thomson Reuters SSN lawsuit about?
Johnston v. Thomson Reuters America Corporation (E.D. Mich., filed April 30, 2026) alleges CLEAR and Westlaw PeopleMap displayed five sequential digits of Social Security numbers to subscribers, violating Michigan's SSN Privacy Act. The allegations are unproven, and Thomson Reuters disputes them.What does Michigan's SSN Privacy Act require?
It bars intentionally publicly displaying more than four sequential digits of a Social Security number (MCL 445.83). The complaint alleges five digits were shown. The law allows statutory damages of up to $1,000 per violation.Is this the same as the CLEAR privacy settlement?
No. The $27.5M CLEAR settlement was a California case about collecting and selling data; its deadline passed in December 2024. This is a separate Michigan SSN-display case under a different statute.Is there a settlement or money to claim?
No. It is a newly filed complaint. There is no certified class, settlement, fund, claim form, or deadline. Nothing to claim.Sources
• Courthouse News — Michigan Residents Sue Thomson Reuters Over SSN Display• ABA Journal — Thomson Reuters Hit With Michigan Privacy Lawsuit
• Michigan Legislature — MCL 445.83 (SSN display prohibition)
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Status
Complaint filed — no class certified, no settlement
Case Title
Johnston v. Thomson Reuters America Corporation
Case Number
2:26-cv-11432 (reported; confirm on the court docket)
Court
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Date Filed
April 30, 2026
Law
Michigan Social Security Number Privacy Act (MCL 445.81 et seq.)
Official Website
Michigan SSN Privacy Act (MCL 445.83)
