This Clear AI Class-Action Settlement Is Only Open Until Friday: Are You Eligible?

If you are a resident of California, you may be eligible to get paid from a $27.5 million settlement from Thomson Reuters. But move quickly, as you only have until Friday to opt in.

Thomson Reuters is a Canadian media and technology conglomerate best known as the parent company of the British news outlet, Reuters. In October, the company reached a settlement agreement in a class-action lawsuit that alleged that it had used its own AI program, Clear, to collect personal information from people without their consent and then sold this information to various entities. The company was accused of doing this all across the US, but this specific suit pertains only to California residents.

Survey results published by the International Association of Privacy Professionals in a 2023 consumer trust report found significant concerns among respondents globally about the impact of AI technology on their privacy. Around 57% of consumers surveyed by IAPP said that “AI poses a significant threat to their privacy.” The group also cited a 2023 study from KPMG and the University of Queensland which found that 53% of respondents believed “AI will make it harder for people to keep their personal information private.”

If you believe you might be eligible for this Thomson Reuters settlement, read on for all the details. For more on other class-action settlements, find out if you’re eligible for 23andMe’s data breach settlement.

Why is the Thomson Reuters class action settlement?Thomson Reuters was initially sued in 2020 by California-based activist Cat Brooks and journalist Rasheed Shabazz. The pair accused the company of using Clear to harvest “a vast quantity of photos, identifying information, and personal data of American consumers, including Californians, without their consent.” This information, the suit further alleged, was then sold off to “corporations, law enforcement, and government agencies.”

Who qualifies for this class-action settlement?

This settlement is open to anyone who was an adult resident of California from Dec. 3, 2016, to Oct. 31, 2024. The payout for each claimant is estimated to be between $19 and $48. 

You can opt into this settlement by filling out this online form.

When is the deadline to opt-in for this class-action settlement?

Eligible claimants have until the end of Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, to opt into the Thomson Reuters settlement. This deadline was initially set for Dec. 6 but was later extended.

For more, see why Apple claims that AI will enhance its privacy offerings while Microsoft’s AI tools have been hit with delays over privacy concerns.