Highly anticipated Facebook settlement checks will soon be sent to millions of users

Meta’s $725 million settlement for sharing user data with third parties, notably Cambridge Analytica, which aided Trump’s 2016 campaign, begins payouts in August 2025. Angeion, the settlement administrator, validated 17 million of 28 million claims, the largest class action claim pool in U.S. history, per Lesley Weaver, plaintiffs’ co-lead counsel: “As far as we can tell that’s the largest number of claims ever filed.”

Eligible U.S. Facebook users from 2007–2022 will receive payments via direct deposit, PayPal, or prepaid gift cards over 10 weeks. Median payouts are around $30, depending on account duration. Appeals resolved in May 2025 delayed distribution nearly two years. Verification weeded out fraudulent claims, but concerns linger about potential scams targeting claimants. Angeion has not disclosed exact payout amounts or the final number of approved claims, leaving questions about transparency in the process.