Catenaa, Tuesday, 17, 2024-Meta Platforms has agreed to a record AU$50 million settlement with Australia’s Information Commissioner, resolving a lawsuit over the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. The payment, announced Tuesday, marks the largest privacy-related settlement in Australia’s history.
The case stems from allegations that Facebook user data, collected through the “This Is Your Digital Life” app, was improperly shared with British firm Cambridge Analytica. The information was reportedly used to influence political campaigns, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Approximately 311,000 Australian Facebook users were affected. Those eligible include individuals who either installed the app or were friends of someone who did, between November 2013 and December 2015. Compensation will open in 2025, with payments based on general privacy concerns or demonstrated damages.
Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd hailed the settlement as a landmark resolution, ensuring affected users can seek redress while holding tech giants accountable. Meta will appoint a third-party administrator to oversee the payment scheme, details of which will be announced early next year.
The settlement follows Meta’s $1.1 billion payout in the U.S. in 2022. Meta emphasized that the agreement was reached without admission of wrongdoing and reflects practices no longer relevant to its platforms today.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal ignited global debates over data privacy, leading to regulatory crackdowns and a broader understanding of big tech’s power.
