Google Referrer Header Settlement Payout – Eligibility to get an average of $7.70!

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Google Referrer Header Settlement Payout

The Google Referrer header $23 million class action settlement claimants have begun to receive the settlement of payments. The approved claimants should get ready to receive their payments, the article covers everything you wish to learn about the Google Referrer Header Settlement and its payments.

Google Referrer Header Settlement Payout

The US people who submitted their claim last year by 31 July 2023 and are recognized as approved claimants have already received their settlement payment. The Google Referrer Header Privacy Litigation website update on 26 January 2024 says the administrator will begin the distribution of the settlement amount. 

The approved claimants who have opted for the electronic payment method to receive payment must have received a text message/ email from their respective payment method authority. The payout date may change depending on the payment method you chose to receive the settlement payment. 

The recent update on the website shows that the administrator has issued the supplemental payments from 2 July 2024 to the accounts of approved claimants whose previous payments issued on January 2024 are cleared.

The claimants who have opted for electronic payment can expect the payment from 8 July 2024 onwards as the administrator will commence the process of distribution on 8 July. 

What happened so far in Google Referrer Header Settlement?

The lawsuit against Google for Referrer header privacy settlement dates back to 2010 when the plaintiffs alleged that Google had shared the search queries of its users with third-party companies and websites between 26 October 2006 and 30 September 2013 without the user’s consent. 

The plaintiffs alleged the referrer policy of Google where the users search the query using the keyword was not ideal for the users as the search result link the users received will have the keywords, which they termed as server logs. Though Google changed the policy and announced the amends in 2011, the users were affected by the information transmission in Referrer headers.

Google denied such allegations and wrongdoings from the beginning of the class action lawsuit. The defendant and plaintiffs agreed to the settlement to avoid the cost and trial risks. The affected Google users who submitted their claim for the settlement last year got the final approval from the Court in October 2023. 

Under the settlement, Google proposes a $23 million settlement amount for claimants, litigation costs, class representatives, settlement administration costs, etc. The class representatives and attorneys agree to the settlement as they think it best for the settlement class members

Google also ensured that it would revise its Key terms and FAQs related to the information of users’ search queries revealed to third-party apps and websites via referrer headers. 

Google Referrer Header Settlement Payout per person 

The Google Referrer Header Settlement payment per person depends on many factors, such as: 

  • No. of Valid claimants
  • Net Settlement Fund.

 

The Net Settlement fund is the fund from which the claimants receive the payout after the administrator subtracts the litigation cost and others from the $23 million settlement. The court approved the following plan of distribution of the Google privacy settlement:

  • Attorney fees and cost for representing the case under the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure, around $5.7 million 
  • Litigation costs up to $34, 634.69
  • Class Representative service awards up to $5000 for each plaintiff for bringing up the case 
  • Former Objector Attorney Fees granted up to 793,500.
  • Settlement Administrator cost
  • Notice Fees and cost 

So, based on the notice, each approved claimant may receive the estimated settlement amount of around $7.70 from the Net Settlement Fund. According to the notice, the claimants who have filed valid claims on time and become approved claimants can receive an equal amount of settlement for each person. 

The final amount per person has invoked some disagreement as many plaintiffs believe that the settlement cost is too low seeing the decade-long lawsuit, Google revenue, violations of privacy, and duration of privacy violation. However, the disbursement of the payment has begun as there has been no appeal for the settlement. 

How will you receive the Google Referrer Header Settlement payout?

The approved claimants of the Google Referrer Header payout depending on the payment method they chose when they submitted their claim for the settlement. According to the settlement website update, each class member with an approved claim must have received the notification from the following online payment method regarding their payment:

The claimants should wait for two to three business days as sometimes it may take time for your bank to show your payment in your account. 

Who will receive the Google Referrer Header Settlement Payout?

The Google users become class members of the Google Referrer Header Settlement Payout based on the following requirements:

  • You have to use Google search query and click on the search link during the class period 25 October 2006 and 30 September 2013 that may have shared your search information with third-party websites or apps.
  • You can also receive the claim if you have claimed the settlement  on behalf of Google users, such as administrators, heirs, representatives, and assigns
  • You have to submit the valid claim by the designated date and your claim is approved by the settlement administrator after the review. The approved claimants must have received the notice about the disbursement of settlement payment from the settlement administrator. 
  • Claimants who have excluded themselves from the settlement will not receive any payment from the settlement. 

The Google Settlement on privacy litigation for search queries has moved to its final stage, the claimants start getting their settlement amount from the administrator. The approved claimants should keep an eye on their respective payment methods to ensure that you receive your payment on time. 

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