Michael Gennaro reports:
A federal judge gave final approval Friday morning to a $27.5 million settlement resolving claims that Thomson Reuters collected millions of California residents’ personal and confidential information and then sold access to it without their knowledge or consent.
People living in California since Dec. 3, 2016, were qualified to file for relief, with most expected to receive between $19 and $48 from the settlement. The deadline to file for relief was Dec. 6, 2024. However, since fewer than 1% of the class actually filed a claim — to the disappointment of the presiding judge — those who did file are likely to receive a much higher payout from the fund, which also covers attorneys’ fees and a payment to the named plaintiffs leading the case.
The class action stems from a 2020 lawsuit brought by Cat Brook and Rasheed Shabazz, who claimed that Thomson Reuters, best known for its news agency Reuters, was using its CLEAR platform to collect millions of Californians’ photos, data and other personal information without their consent and selling it. CLEAR is a research and investigative tool designed to help professionals — especially those in law enforcement, government, legal work and corporate security — conduct public records research.
Read more at Courthouse News.