Crunchyroll has been bringing some of the most anticipated shows into its catalogue, making fan’s life a lot more easier as they get to watch their favourite shows legally and officially. However, this goody champ of a streaming site has sold us off (or so reports claim). Crunchyroll has been sued for disclosing its subscribers’ personally identifiable information to third parties. Amidst all news with “Crunchyroll Sued” titles, I will guide you around how to claim compensation for this tragic betrayal – let’s dive right into it.
Why is Crunchyroll being sued?
Woke up to the news that Crunchyroll has been selling our information and are currently being sued
— Travisthesibling (@TravtheSib) October 12, 2023
Crunchyroll is being sued for selling personal information about its subscribers to third-party apps/sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. It is a similar case in which Facebook found itself a few years ago. Due to the violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, Crunchyroll is now liable to pay $16 million to the Settlement Class.
Eligibility for a Settlement Class Member : but what is a member exactly?
Firstly the settlement will basically mean once you make a claim to be part of this settlement claim, you’ll be considered a part of ‘settlement class member’ – and the settlement amount of around $16 million will be distributed amidst this member class.
Now it depends on how many people have claimed to this settlement, if only two people have then the lump sum will be divided among them. But such a thing is not possible, given that Crunchyroll boasts a hundred million or so and at least one million is expected to make a claim to this settlement.
Are you eligible to claim the settlement in this Lawsuit against Crunchyroll?
According to records, there are two conditions to qualify for the said compensation:
- If you registered on any online website, mobile app, or video-on-demand service or app owned, controlled, and/or operated by Crunchyroll within the time period between September 8, 2020, to September 20, 2023.
- If you watched videos on an online website, mobile app, or any video-on-demand service or app owned, controlled, and/or operated by Crunchyroll.
If you fulfil these criteria, you are eligible to receive compensation directly from Crunchyroll. You will receive a pro-rata (meaning equal) portion of the Settlement Fund, which Class Counsel anticipates to be approximately $30.00, but the exact amount is not yet known and could be more or less.
If you’ve paid for Crunchyroll in the past 3 years, they’re being sued for selling our info and you could get about $30 settlement if you submit a form by 12/12/2023
This has been the morning news
— ꒰ა♡໒꒱ (@cixunvs) October 26, 2023
But how will you receive the money? Moreover, how is it guaranteed by the court that Crunchyroll will compensate you for the case? Here’s how:
- You have to make sure you have a subscription to Crunchyroll that was made during the time period mentioned above.
- Once you have confirmed your subscription, you have to file a Claim Form online on this website or mail your Paper Claim Form before December 12, 2023.
- Once done, you have to wait for the Final Hearing on 19 December 2023, where the Settlement Agreement will be decided upon.
Besides claiming the Settlement due, you have other legal rights as well. These rights will dictate your involvement in the case moving forward.
- You can exclude yourself from the Settlement and receive no benefits from it. You will retain the right to sue Crunchyroll. You will have to file for exclusion before 27 November 2023.
- You can object to the Court regarding why you do not like the Settlement. You have to write to the court by 27 November 2023.
- You can ask to speak your opinion during the Final Hearing on 19 December by going to the court.
- You can also opt to do nothing, which will lead to you losing the right to claim any compensation and the right to sue Crunchyroll.
The Court has assigned Class Counsel to represent you during the hearing. You can contact them on their website for any queries regarding the court case.
Conclusion
Crunchyroll has messed up big time with this move. They have agreed to the Settlement to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the case, while denying that they violated the Act. This has however shaken our trust in them.
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