Claims Period Opens for Meta Payments Under Record Australian Privacy Breach Settlement
Former Facebook users whose personal data was collected as part of the Cambridge Analytica matter some 10 years ago may now register for restitution under an AU$50 million payment ($33 million based on today's exchange rates) program Meta agreed to with the Australian Office of the Information Commissioner (OAIC), the office announced Thursday.
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The OAIC agreed to the program as part of an enforceable commitment by Meta to settle civil penalty proceedings. When the agreement was announced last December, OAIC said it was the largest settlement dedicated to the privacy of Australians.
Cambridge Analytica collected Facebook users' personal data via its This is Your Digital Life app in violation of the country's Privacy Act of 1988, the OAIC said. Cambridge Analytica and other third parties exposed the data, potentially for political profiling purposes, the OAIC added.
Affected individuals should now contact the independent administrator of the payment plan to submit a claim or ask questions, the OAIC said Friday. OAIC is not involved in administering the payments.
The office warned that scammers might use its announcement to falsely elicit information and recommended that people receiving calls offering help with a payment or refund hang up immediately.