The deadline is fast approaching for those eligible to claim their portion of a significant settlement.
Here’s the essential information you need to know about the settlement and the criteria for eligibility.
The compensation program is available to Australians who were active Facebook users between November 2, 2013, and December 17, 2015.
To qualify, individuals must have spent more than 30 days in Australia during this timeframe.
Eligible participants include those who either installed the “This Is Your Digital Life” app or were Facebook friends with someone who did.
The final payout amount for affected Facebook users will be determined by the total number of individuals who register for the program.
The amount affected Facebook users will be paid will depend on how many people register for the compensation program.
What is the deadline to submit a claim?
The compensation claims period opened on June 30 this year.
Eligible Australians have until December 31 to make a claim for compensation.
What if I didn’t install the app?
An investigation by the national privacy regulator, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), found 53 Australian Facebook users installed the This Is Your Digital Life app, which appeared as a personality test to extract personal information.
However, another 311,074 Australian Facebook users were friends with those 53 people, which meant the app could have requested their information as well.
How do I apply for the Facebook compensation?
However, Australians should be on alert for scammers who offer to help with obtaining payments.
“If you receive a call from anyone offering to help you with a payment or refund, hang up immediately,” the OAIC said on its website.
“Never give personal information to anyone calling you out of the blue, never give access to your computer or bank account and never click on a link in a text message or open an attachment in an email if you were not expecting the text or email.
“If you have given information to a scammer or lost money, contact your bank immediately.”
