Oracle America, a software and marketing company, agreed to a $115 million settlement after a northern California district court filed a complaint that the tech giant was tracking user activity both online and offline.
According to the lawsuit, Oracle was “deliberate and purposeful” in its surveillance of internet browsers, recording the personal information of millions of people. Those using the web had no way of consenting to the privacy violations.
“Oracle sells this detailed personal information to third parties, either directly or through its ‘ID Graph’ and other related products and services derived from this data,” the lawsuit says.
Despite Oracle’s consistent denial of the allegations, it agreed to the $115 million settlement, avoiding further litigation. There have been no findings against Oracle, according to the settlement administrator website.
The number of people who could claim compensation is nearly unlimited, as the lawsuit involves internet usage. Those who shopped, browsed, or used geolocation services on the internet within the last six years are eligible for a payout.
The lawsuit presented a timeline from Aug. 19, 2018, to the present. A final decision on the case will be reached on Nov. 14, 2024.
“All natural persons residing in the United States whose personal information, or data derived from their personal information, was acquired, captured, or otherwise collected by Oracle Advertising technologies or made available for use or sale by or through ID Graph, Data Marketplace, or any other Oracle Advertising product or service from August 19, 2018, to the date of final judgment in the Action,” the lawsuit says.
In order to receive compensation, people must file a claim either online or through the mail with a hard deadline of Oct. 17, 2024. Claim forms can be accessed and downloaded online or by contacting an administrator at 1-888-255-4036.
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People submitting a claim via mail should send it to Katz-Lacabe et al v. Oracle America, Inc. c/o Settlement Administrator 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
After lawyers and class representatives are paid, approximately $86.5 million will be left over for class members. The amount of money sent to each recipient will be the same, depending on how many people submit claims. Zelle, Venmo, paper checks, and ACH transfers are all options for accepting payment.