• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

'Skills nobody can take': Meet a 20-year-old with a 4.5 GPA who skipped college for technical school to land an 'AI-proof' career

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

China suffers another setback in effort to de-dollarize global finance as anchor in the greenback's dominance quietly exits Beijing's payment scheme

1

'Skills nobody can take': Meet a 20-year-old with a 4.5 GPA who skipped college for technical school to land an 'AI-proof' career

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

China suffers another setback in effort to de-dollarize global finance as anchor in the greenback's dominance quietly exits Beijing's payment scheme
TechGlobal 500

A Check From Facebook Might Be Heading Your Way—But Don’t Get Too Excited

By
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 23, 2016, 11:38 PM ET
A laptop keyboard with a stack of bills and a pen on it
Getty Images
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Hey, Facebook (FB) is sending checks to users!

But here’s the catch: they’re for $15 and you would have had to have made a claim 3 years ago.

So what’s the story behind this not quite bumper payout?

Back in 2011, five plaintiffs filed a class-action lawsuit against Facebook for hijacking their names and faces to use in “Sponsored Story” ads. The social media giant, the charge went, had cobbled together promotional material based on users “liking” companies’ pages or content, Quartz reports.

Years of trials and appeals later, a California court granted a $20 million dollar settlement. That meant that anyone whose likeness had been used without consent was entitled to receive a $15 check — but only if they’d submitted a claim by May 2, 2013.

Many users had even forgotten they’d ever submitted claim. So when checks started popping up in the mail this week recipients took to twitter to express their surprise.

https://twitter.com/RetroChristal/status/801593743933521920

https://twitter.com/IngramAC/status/800872263277047809

Some used the occasion to take a swipe at Facebook, or the state of the nation.

got a random ass 15 dollar check in the mail from facebook, thus marking the first time facebook has ever been useful to me

— jessie (@justdamaged) November 23, 2016

https://twitter.com/VeryWhiteGuy/status/800838413733785600

And others used the payout to call attention to social causes.

https://twitter.com/DeanaDiscovers/status/801130540661284864

“Sponsored Story” ads, which broadcast users actions on Facebook in ad form, were nixed by the site in June 2013 according to Quartz. The case led to other changes in how the social media giant employs user data and images in ads.

For more on Facebook and privacy, watch Fortune’s video:

However Facebook has continued to attract controversy over privacy breaches. In September, Fortune‘s Erin Griffith reacted to Facebook accessing users’ phone address books to recommend new friends to other users.

About the Author
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.