Classmates.com Email Privacy Class Action Lawsuit Settlement.
A revised class action settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against Classmates Online, Inc. (n/k/a Memory Lane, Inc.), Classmates Media Corporation and United Online, Inc. (“Classmates.com” or “Classmates” or “Defendants”) in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle (styled In re Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation, Case No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ), alleging, among other things, that Classmates sent e-mail to subscribers of www.classmates.com that violated the law and the privacy rights of subscribers, according to the Classmates.com revised class action settlement notice.
The Classmates.com email privacy class action lawsuit settlement reportedly includes the following persons in the Settlement Class:
All Persons residing in the United States who were registered with or subscribed to www.classmates.com at any time beginning on October 30, 2004 through February 23, 2011.
Each Classmates.com email privacy Settlement Class member who submits a valid Claim Form (no later than November 18, 2011) will reportedly receive a cash award (payable via PayPal or via physical check). The cash award will be determined by dividing the $2.5 million that Classmates has agreed to pay by the number of Settlement Class members who submit valid Claim Forms.
In addition to the cash award, the Classmates.com email privacy Settlement will require Classmates to change certain business practices for two years. Among other things, Classmates will no longer use the term “guestbook” as a stand-alone term in the subject line of the emails it sends to its subscribers, but will instead call it “Classmates® Guestbook”. The “Classmates® Guestbook” feature will be described in the footer of those emails as follows:
WHAT IS CLASSMATES® GUESTBOOK?: When most Classmates members visit your profile, their names will automatically be listed in your Classmates® Guestbook. Any member can leave their name in any other member’s Classmates® Guestbook simply by visiting that member’s profile, so you might not know everyone who signed yours. For more information, see our Classmates® Guestbook Help Article.
The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on December 15, 2011, at 1:30 p.m., at the United States District Court, Western District of Washington, before the Honorable Richard A. Jones, Courtroom 13106, 700 Stewart Street, Seattle, Washington 98101.
For more information on the Classmates.com email privacy class action lawsuit settlement, visit the In re Classmates.com consolidated litigation website:
www.cmemailsettlement.com
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