Illinoisan Bumble, Badoo Users May Get Payout from $40 Million Biometric Privacy Settlement

Bumble and Badoo users in Illinois may be entitled to a portion of a $40 million settlement following a class action lawsuit alleging violations of the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Bumble and Badoo are dating and social networking apps that connect users for romantic, friendship, or casual interactions. Bumble is the parent company of both.

The lawsuit claimed that Badoo Trading Limited and Bumble Trading LLC collected and used users’ biometric data, such as facial scans, without obtaining proper consent, in violation of BIPA. This settlement affects users who accessed the apps between November 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021.

To qualify for a payout, eligible users must submit a claim by September 20, 2024. Claimants will need to provide details such as their app usernames and associated phone numbers. The amount each person will receive depends on the total number of claims submitted. In addition to the monetary compensation, Bumble and Badoo have agreed to delete all previously collected biometric data and comply with BIPA regulations moving forward.

A final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for October 23, 2024, in which the payout amounts will be confirmed if the settlement terms are deemed fair. The settlement provides both financial compensation and additional safeguards for affected users, ensuring better protection of their biometric data in the future.

A wide range of businesses have found themselves on the receiving end of BIPA over the past several years, including a recent settlement exceeding $1 million by trampoline park Sky Zone. That lawsuit claimed that between April 29, 2014, and April 23, 2024, Sky Zone required its Illinois employees to scan their fingerprints without following BIPA’s consent and disclosure rules. Although Sky Zone denied any wrongdoing, it agreed to the settlement to avoid the costs of extended litigation.

Earlier this month, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed S.B. 2979 into law, marking a significant amendment to the BIPA that alters the interpretation of violations under the act.

With the amendment now official, under BIPA multiple instances of collecting the same biometric identifier from the same individual using the same method will now be considered a single violation. This change is designed to reduce the potential liability for businesses, which previously faced substantial penalties for each instance of biometric data collection without proper notice and consent.

Source: The U.S. Sun, Top Class Actions

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August 30, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis