The California-based entertainment company, known for having “the largest anime collection in the world,” CrunchyrollIt is committed to Pay a Staggering $16 Million to Settle Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Digital Privacy Violations. According to the deal administrator’s website, this measure has been taken due to accusations of sharing users’ personal viewing information with third-party sites, including Facebook and Google, without their knowledgewhich would constitute a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act.
The lawsuit, filed in September 2022, focused on the conduct of the parent company, Sony Corporation. Although Crunchyroll has denied any wrongdoing in the case, the matter is still developing. McClatchy News contacted the company on October 10 for comment and is awaiting a response. The deadline for subscribers to submit their claims ends on December 12.
Who can file a claim? Residents of the United States who have been registered users of any website, mobile application or video-on-demand service owned or operated by Crunchyroll between September 8, 2020 and September 23, 2023, as well as those who have viewed videos on such platforms during the same period, meet the requirements to do so. Eligible Crunchyroll users can submit a claim form online, according to the administrator’s website. A class member ID, included in an email sent by the administrator, is required to complete the form. Although paper claim forms are also accepted, online submission is highly recommended. The deadline to submit claims is December 12.
Eligible users who submit a valid claim form may receive compensation up to US$30.although the amount could vary depending on the number of claims submitted, as reported on the administrator’s website. The final hearing to approve the terms of the agreement is scheduled for Tuesday, December 19, administrators have indicated. If approved, eligible Crunchyroll users will receive their payments 90 days after potential appeals are resolved.
Of course, the news did not go unnoticed by Internet users:
- «I’ll accept it, but I hope in the $10 billion that dues go up $2.50 a month (that’s $30 a year) before too long. It is impossible for Sony not to absorb all the money they are going to lose again».
- «Oh yeah, I can’t wait to get my dime after another company lost or sold my information illegally, again».
- «Imagine selling user information, but not being able to offer a good service».
- «They are selling user information and still cannot offer a good service. Money should be invested in that».
- «So I guess selling user data outside of the US is okay?».
- «Screw them, at this point it’s better to resort to piracy».
- «I assume this was a result of what was introduced last year regarding hidden tracking pixels. Those of you in the United States should keep an eye on your inbox, because this complaint has been filed against a ton of websites, and it looks like some of them are still around, like Crunchyroll and FloSports, a sports streaming service».
- «I guess anime monopoly can’t be built from nothing».
- «I still don’t understand how a streaming service anywhere in the Middle East works better than a multi-billion dollar company like Crunchyroll.».
Fountain: The Sacramento Bee
