
US TikTok Users Can Claim Part of a $92 Million Class Action Lawsuit Against the App

It's not a scam, it's actually linked to this legal filing in the Northern District of Illinois, through which, TikTok is facing a class action over the collection and usage of user data. As per the initial settlement agreement (reported via Mashable):
"Plaintiffs allege that the TikTok app infiltrates its users' devices and extracts a broad array of private data including biometric data and content that Defendants use to track and profile TikTok users for the purpose of, among other things, ad targeting and profit." |
TikTok's parent company ByteDance has also agreed to bring in third-party experts to oversee data privacy training for employees, and to avoid collecting biometrics and location data from users. Given the complexities at play, ByteDance stands a good chance of actually winning the case if it does end up going to trial, which is why the plaintiff legal team has suggested that taking up a settlement may be the best way forward.
The settlement is currently proposed at $92 million, before attorneys' fees and additional costs. TikTok had more than 100 million US users in August 2020, so if all of its users signed up to stake their claim to the cash, you'd be looking at significantly less than $1 per user as a payout.
