The recent settlement surrounding Facebook’s privacy breach has garnered significant attention, leading to a monumental US$5 billion fine imposed by the United States on Meta, Facebook’s parent company. Additionally, a US$725 million compensation fund has been established to benefit affected users in the U.S.

For those impacted, the window to submit a claim is open from June 30 and will remain so until December 31.

Eligible individuals are encouraged to apply during this period. If you suspect you were affected but did not receive an official notification, you can still file a claim by following the designated procedure and providing necessary evidence of your involvement.

However, it’s crucial to remain vigilant against fraudulent activities. Beware of scams where individuals impersonate Facebook representatives or claim to assist with the compensation process.

Who can apply?

You can apply if you:

• held a Facebook account between 2 November 2013 and 17 December 2015 (the eligibility period);
• were in Australia for more than 30 days during that period, and
• either installed the Life app or were Facebook friends with someone who did.

How to apply – but watch for scams

If you didn’t get that notification but you think you were affected, you can make a claim using the standard process by proving:

• your identity, such as with a passport or driver’s licence
• you held a Facebook account and were located in Australia during the eligibility period.

But watch out for scammers pretending to be from Facebook or to be helping with claims.

Which payout could you be eligible for?

You’ll also need to show damage was caused by the Cambridge Analytica data breach. For many people, proving extensive loss or damage may be difficult.

It’s a much easier process — but also likely to be a much smaller payment.

Payments are expected to be made from around August 2026.

How much are payouts likely to be?