Google Will Pay You A Couple Of Hundred Bucks, If You Live Here
Biometric security has been a cause of privacy concern for as long as it’s been around as they come with various caveats but in 2008, the state of Illinois took matters into its own hands. Illinois Passed the Biometric Information Privacy Act, according to which the Google Photos app is now taking some heat.
Illinois citizens may be receiving a sizable check in the mail because of Google Photos. Plaintiffs filed a class action complaint against Google, alleging that the firm violated Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act.
We are all aware of how Bimotreics has been a necessary security tool for us, but violations are not appreciated.
As per the act, Any private company that collects biometrics such as; a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voice, or hand or face scan, must have a publicly available written policy that specifies how long the data will be retained. They even have to specify how will it be destroyed at the end of its life.
Why is google facing a lawsuit?
Firstly, Google Images includes a feature that lets you group photos of people with similar faces together. The software collects data on facial geometry to see how people are alike and different.
According to Gizmodo, Google’s famous photo-sharing service is the next app to get some attention. The news comes after the corporation resolved a class-action lawsuit with the Land of Lincoln for $100 million.
Good news for anyone who appeared in an image in Google Photos between May 1st, 2015, and April 25th, 2022. They have until September 24th to collect their share of the compensation. The compensation is estimated to be worth between $200 and $400 per person.
This isn’t the first time Illinois has been a test bed for the data privacy movement. In 2015, plaintiffs filed a similar case against Facebook. They alleged that the social media company was gathering biometric data from users without their knowledge. Users who had their accounts compromised were allowed to file a claim for compensation in 2020.
As Illinois accounts for less than 4% of our population, we are looking at a higher payout. However, If you’re a resident of Illinois who has updated a selfie on Google photos in the past seven years you are looking at a decent amount heading your way. To get the cash you’ll have to fill out a settlement form on the website. Comment down if you’re eligible for some claims.
