Michigan Playboy Subscriber Privacy Class Action Settlement - $220.00 - Deadline: April 13, 2020
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Playboy has agreed to pay $3.85 million to resolve claims that the entertainment company shared Michigan magazine subscribers’ information without consent.
The settlement benefits individuals with a Michigan street address who subscribed to a Playboy publication between Jan. 1, 2016 and July 30, 2016, excluding individuals who opted out of Playboy’s information sharing service.
Plaintiff Mark Kokoszki filed his Playboy magazine privacy class action lawsuit in February 2019. According to the plaintiff, Playboy Enterprises Inc. illegally shared magazine subscriber information with third parties without obtaining consumer consent.
Allegedly a third party can spend under $0.11 to receive a variety of information about Playboy subscribers. This information reportedly includes state, ZIP code, age, income, gender, and email address.
As a result of these purchases, third parties have sent a variety of junk mailings to Kokoszki. He says he received an influx of unwanted mail from “aggressive advertisers, political organizations, and nonprofits” as a direct result of Playboy sharing his information with third parties.
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“These harassing junk mailings received by Plaintiff Kokoszki are attributable to Playboy’s unauthorized rental, exchange, and/or disclosure of his Personal Reading Information,” the Playboy class action lawsuit claimed.
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Playboy allegedly violated Michigan consumers’ rights by repeatedly sharing their information. Kokoszki claimed that, by repeatedly sharing the information instead of outright selling the data away, the company secured significant profits as it repeatedly took advantage of its subscribers.
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“By renting, exchanging, or otherwise disclosing – rather than selling – its customers’ Personal Reading Information, Playboy is able to disclose the information time and time again to countless third parties,” the Playboy class action lawsuit alleged.
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The plaintiff claims that Playboy violates Michigan’s Preservation of Personal Privacy Act (PPPA) by sharing consumer information without consent.
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This law protects Michigan consumers from unwanted breaches of privacy, including the unauthorized sharing of personal reading information. Under the PPPA, consumers can collect around $5,000 in statutory damages per violation.
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Playboy did not admit any wrongdoing under Michigan’s PPPA, but agreed to resolve the claims against them in a $3.8 million class action settlement in February 2020. As a result of the settlement, Kokoszki and participating Class Members will release their claims against the company.
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Under the settlement, Class Members can collect an equal share of the net settlement fund. Class counsel estimates that Class Member payments will be around $220. However, exact payment amounts will vary depending on the number of eligible Class Members and the amount deducted in fees and costs.
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According to the settlement, the deal is a favorable outcome for the plaintiffs and “represents the best result ever achieved on a per-class member basis in an action brought under the Michigan Preservation of Personal Privacy Act (the ‘PPPA’).”
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Class Members who did not receive official notice of the settlement must file a valid claim form by April 13, 2020. Class Members are not required to file a valid claim form if they received notice directly from the settlement administrator.
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The deadline for exclusion and objection to the settlement is May 4, 2020. Class Members who wish to update their address on file with the settlement administrator can do so on the settlement website. The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for June 10, 2020.
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Who’s Eligible
Individuals with a Michigan street address who subscribed to a Playboy publication between Jan. 1, 2016 and July 30, 2016. Class Members are only eligible if they did not opt out of Playboy’s information sharing service.
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Potential Award
An equal share of the net settlement fund, estimated to be $220.
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Proof of Purchase
N/A
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Claim Form
CLICK LINK TO FILE A CLAIM »
https://secure.playboymagazinesettlement.com/
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.NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.
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Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.
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Claim Form Deadline
4/13/2020
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Case Name
Kokoszki v. Playboy Enterprises Inc., Case No. 2:19-cv-10302-BAF-RSW, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
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Final Hearing
6/10/2020
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Settlement Website
www.PlayboyMagazineSettlement.com
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Claims Administrator
Playboy Magazine Settlement
c/o JND Legal Administration
PO Box 91350
Seattle, WA 98111
info@PlayboyMagazineSettlement.com
1-833-900-1639
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EXPIRED
