Is The TikTok Data Privacy Settlement a Scam?
If you are wondering if the TikTok Data Privacy Settlement is a scam, we have good news. You should read this throughout to see if you will get the money. TikTok agreed to settle a class-action privacy lawsuit for $92 million in February. The accusations were that TikTok used improperly obtained biometric data and mined user information from unposted drafts. Last but not least, there were cases of wrongly shared data with third parties like Facebook and Google.
However, people were wondering if the TikTok Data Privacy settlement email payment is a scam or a real thing this week. There were also references of Hawk Marketplace and perhaps even My Prepaid Center. Plus, some people got messages from the email address tiktokdataprivacysettlement@hawkmarketplace.com. Let’s dive in and see how much you can get if you qualify and maybe receive an email like this below:
The good news is that some people have started to receive payments already, so you can rest assured that this is not a scam. It is a follow-up of an actual court case. Many people confirm they received an email from Venmo and PayPal saying they got the money. Some were sent as Virtual Prepaid cards, and some to Hawk Marketplace.
If you still have doubts about the TikTok Data Privacy Settlement, you can close the email and log in directly to your Paypal or Venmo. Or, of course, whatever payment method it says. Check to see if the payment is there.
TikTok Data Privacy Settlement: Official Information
Here are more details about the case, so you can see if you can get the money: https://www.tiktokdataprivacysettlement.com/.
So, what’s the story behind all this?
TikTok has settled a class-action lawsuit because of the collection and use of personal data from their app users. This settlement is a result of no less than 21 lawsuits. Check this out: some were filed on behalf of minors and applied to 89 million TikTok users. 89 million!
As expected, TikTok denied all of the allegations behind these lawsuits but finally agreed to a hefty $92 million settlement for all affected users. “While we can disagree with the assertions, rather than go through lengthy litigation, we would certainly like to focus our efforts now on building a safe and joyful experience for the TikTok community,” said a representative after agreeing to the settlement back in February 2022.
TikTok Privacy Settlement: What Went Wrong
So the question was, what did TikTok violate? The accusations were that they improperly obtained tons of biometric data, mined user information from unposted drafts, and – critical as well – shared data improperly with third parties like Facebook, Google, and other social media giants.
But that’s not all. Another interesting thing on the list is that TikTok uses facial recognition to gain a competitive advantage over other popular apps. The suit alleged that facial recognition was improperly used – crazy! – to determine personal information like age, gender, and race to recommend content. Sneaky people, eh?
In other states, the case was even more complex. For example, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act gave the citizens of Illinois the right to act against TikTok for using their biometric information without their consent. That’s why in Illinois, the amounts received by users are higher.
The suit also alleged the makers used drafted and unposted TikTok videos to extract information from users and then illegally disclose it to third parties—shadiness over shadiness.
TikTok settled to stop the case from going to a significant trial and made changes as part of the settlement in February. Some data will be deleted, but they should have mentioned exactly what.
Last but not least, TikTok has announced it will no longer:
- collect biometric data (is that for real?);
- track user location (hard to believe);
- extract information from the user’s drafted content (we’ll see);
- US citizen’s data outside of the US.
As many specialists concurred, all this can be easily changed if it is openly disclosed in its privacy policies. We will keep an eye on it.
How Much Can You Get For The TikTok Settlement?
Many people have asked us, how much can you get from the TikTok Data Privacy Settlement? The $92 million settlement may sound like a lot, but if applied to all affected users, those in the nationwide subclass would receive a $0.96 due to attorney fees. As mentioned, Illinois citizens will receive more (up to $5.75 if every eligible person submits a claim). Even if only 20% of users claim a part of the settlement, nationwide users may only receive around $4.79. It seems like everyone gets rich for their data being stolen from TikTok!
Some eligible users already received the TikTok Data Privacy Notice of Settlement through a notification. However, some are still waiting, so it will come if you are one of them.
Even though TikTok has not agreed to accusations of privacy violations, this settlement has generated additional agreements to protect your data and biometric data.
How To Report a Scammer
Let your family and online friends know about this TikTok Data Privacy Settlement article by sharing it online. You can also officially report crooks and any other suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission using this link:
How To Protect Yourself More
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Meanwhile, educate yourself with some other social fraud-related articles right under this paragraph, so that you know how to stay safe online. Last but not least, use the comments section below to expose other social media scammers.
What To Do If You Get Scammed Online
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