A class action lawsuit has been filed against the popular social network Facebook claiming that Sponsored Stories were advertisements that used Facebook members’ names and likenesses to sell products without their authorization or consent. The case is entitled Fraley, et al. v. Facebook, Inc., et al., and is in the jurisdiction of the California Courts. Class members in the case are defined as “All persons in the Class who additionally have or have had a Facebook account at any time and had their names, nicknames, pseudonyms, profile pictures, photographs, likenesses, or identities displayed in a Sponsored Story, while under eighteen (18) years of age, or under any other applicable age of majority, at any time on or before the date of entry of the Preliminary Approval Order [which occurred on December 3 2012].“. If you or someone you know meets the above criteria it is recommended that you/they file a claim in the lawsuit. A class member can file the claim online here or request a claim form by mail. Please note that when downloading a copy of the claim form you will need Acrobat Reader. Most people will find it easier to file the claim online by filing out a short form. If you choose to submit the claim by mail please send it to: Fraley v. Facebook, Inc. Settlement, c/o GCG, P.O. Box 35009, Seattle, WA 98124-1009. FraleyFacebookSettlement.com provides a variety of court documents available for download to the public.
All claims forms are due not later than by May 2, 2013. Eligible class members are thought to receive settlements 70 days after the settlement hearing. The fairness hearing is scheduled to take place at 17th Floor, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102 on June 28 2013.
This is the first of what many legal experts are predicting will be a long line of lawsuits against Facebook.
