Published
May 1, 2023
Updated
July 29, 2026
This settlement resolves claims that Meta inferred Facebook users' locations from their IP addresses even after they switched Location Services off. Claims closed in August 2023, the court granted final approval in March 2024, and payments to approved claimants began rolling out in September 2025.
Current Status
Claims are closed. The deadline to submit a claim form was August 11, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. The court granted final approval of the $37.5 million settlement in March 2024, and payments to approved claimants began rolling out in September 2025, reported at roughly $30 per person. No official notice that the distribution has been completed had been published as of July 29, 2026. Claimants should rely on the official settlement website and on communications tied to their own claim.StatusPayments Issued Beginning September 2025Final approval granted March 2024.
Claim DeadlineAugust 11, 2023New claims are not accepted.
Reported PaymentAbout $30Reported for the September 2025 distribution; earlier per-claimant estimates ran higher.
Proof RequiredNoSelf-certified eligibility plus the email or username tied to the Facebook account.
What Was the Case About?
Plaintiffs alleged that Meta Platforms, Inc. — formerly Facebook, Inc. — continued to determine the locations of U.S. Facebook users from their IP addresses even when those users had turned Location Services off for the Facebook app on their iPhone or Android device. The complaint claimed this contradicted users' stated privacy preferences and Meta's own terms of service.Meta agreed to pay $37.5 million to resolve the claims. It has not admitted wrongdoing and denies liability for the conduct alleged in the lawsuit.
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Who Was Covered?
The class covered Facebook users who resided in the United States between January 30, 2015 and April 18, 2018, who had Location Services switched off in the Facebook app, and who used an iOS or Android smartphone or smart device during that period. Reporting at the time of the settlement placed the potentially affected population at roughly 70 million U.S. residents.How Much Did Class Members Get?
Payments were pro rata, so the per-person amount depended on how many valid claims were approved after court-approved fees, costs and administration expenses were deducted from the $37.5 million fund. Payments that began going out in September 2025 were reported at approximately $30 per claimant. Earlier per-claimant estimates circulated at higher figures; the reported distribution amount is the more reliable number.What Was Required to File?
No receipts or documents were required. Claimants confirmed on the claim form that they were a U.S. resident, that they used Facebook between January 30, 2015 and April 18, 2018 while in the United States, that they had Location Services disabled in the Facebook app during that window, and that they accessed Facebook while it was disabled.The form also asked for the email address associated with the Facebook account and, where the claimant had one, the public Facebook username — the handle that appears in a profile's public URL. Because no administrator-issued identifier gated the filing, this page is marked Proof Required: No.
How Were Payments Sent?
Payments were distributed electronically to most claimants, with reports of funds arriving by email-linked payment, Zelle or Venmo depending on the method selected on the claim form. Claimants who moved or changed contact details after filing were directed to update their information through the official settlement website.What Happens Next?
With final approval entered and distribution underway, the remaining step is completion of the payment run to approved claimants. No completion date had been announced as of July 29, 2026. Updates are posted on the official settlement website.Official information is available at Facebook Location Settlement.
Important Dates
• Class period: January 30, 2015 through April 18, 2018• Claim deadline: August 11, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. PT
• Final approval: March 2024
• Payments began: September 2025
Sources
• Official settlement website: Facebook Location Settlement• Settlement notice, claim form and final approval order posted by the settlement administrator
• Class counsel announcement of final approval of the $37.5 million settlement
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Settlement Fund
$37,500,000
Defendant
Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook, Inc.)
Class Period
January 30, 2015 – April 18, 2018
Claim Deadline
August 11, 2023
Status
Payments Issued Beginning September 2025
Official Website
Facebook Location Settlement
