California Residents: Claim Your Share of $27.5m Settlement

California Residents: Claim Your Share of $27.5m Settlement

Introduction

If you lived in California at any time in the past seven years, you might qualify for compensation from a $27.5 million settlement reached in a class action lawsuit against media giant Thomson Reuters.

Filed in 2020 by an East Bay activist and an Oakland-based journalist, the lawsuit focused on Thomson Reuters' use of its CLEAR platform, a tool marketed to law enforcement and government agencies for investigative purposes.

Unlike the CLEAR airport security program, Thomson Reuters' CLEAR aggregates and provides access to a broad range of data on U.S. citizens, including photos, identifying details, and other personal information.

The complaint, filed on behalf of all those affected, argued that Thomson Reuters collected this data without consent and then sold it to corporations, government agencies, and law enforcement, creating in-depth profiles that included criminal records, family connections, financial status, and employment history. The plaintiffs alleged that most individuals had no idea this was happening and received no compensation.

Thomson Reuters has denied any wrongdoing, yet agreed to the settlement, which includes $27.5 million for affected Californians. Additionally, the company committed to deleting CLEAR data related to California residents who request removal and verify their identity.

This settlement reflects ongoing privacy concerns about the monetization of personal data without consumer awareness or permission.