Last week, Crunchyroll was on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit due to a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, and fans may have their refund instructions in their email.
The Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) protects consumers online from having their personal identifiable information (PII) disclosed to third parties when streaming, or basically renting any videos or using a subscription service. In the case of Beltran et al. v. Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. d/b/a Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll settled the class action suit for $16 million, and fans who have subscribed to the anime streaming service may be entitled to a cool payment of $30.
The lawsuit settlement says the “Defendant denies that it violated any law but has agreed to the Settlement to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the case,” so it’s not as though the company is admitting to wrongdoing, but to avoid the costs of a potentially lengthy court battle Crunchyroll has settled the suit. The lawsuit settlement goes on to detail, “Persons included in the Settlement will be eligible to 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.”
How to Claim Your Crunchyroll Settlement
Fans who have subscribed to the anime streaming service or any entity controlled by them between September 8, 2020, through September 20, 2023 (a three-year window) can file a claim form to try and collect their $30. Fans who have already received the claim email can even fast-track the request by using the Class Member ID included in the email. Of course, there are other options fans can explore. Below are the options available to fans that fit the criteria for the lawsuit.
- Fans can exclude themselves from payment, so they reserve the right to press a lawsuit regarding any of the issues in this particular case. Deadline: November 27.
- Fans can object to the settlement and explain why they don’t like the terms of the settlement. Deadline: November 27.
- Fans can ask to speak in court about their opinion on the settlement by going to the hearing. Deadline: December 19.
- Lastly, fans can submit the claim form by December 12. This is the only way to receive payment for the settlement.
Crunchyroll fans can head over to the claim website to get started on their settlement claim.
