Sling TV may be one of the best cable TV alternatives, but a class action lawsuit has the live TV streaming service in hot water.
As reported by Cord Cutter News, Sling TV is now facing a potential class action lawsuit spawned from a 2024 case that alleged Sling shared subscribers’ viewing history with Meta via Meta’s subsidiary Facebook.
Now, companies collect and sell consumer data all the time. But this class action suit alleges that Sling violated the Video Privacy Protection Act, and that’s why it could owe customers as much as $2,500.
How did Sling violate the Video Privacy Protection Act?
According to the lawsuit filing, Sling violated the Video Privacy Protection Act because it tracked users’ personal information on Facebook without informing users that it was doing so.
Instead, Sling integrated Facebook tracking tools in its Sling TV app and was able to tie user activity to individual Facebook IDs and send the data to Facebook, thereby violating the right to privacy of the Sling TV user.
Who is eligible to join the class action lawsuit?
This class action suit is open specifically to those who have used Sling TV since January 1, 2023.
Given the case is related to Facebook, it’s quite possible you’d need to be a Facebook user, too, but I have yet to find any verbiage that indicates a Facebook account is currently a requirement to join the class.
Want to cash in? Here are the next steps
So now we know why Sling is the subject of a class action lawsuit. But there’s one more important point to note in this story.
At present, litigation is ongoing. Sling has not lost or settled, and therefore, does not owe potential claimants anything … yet.
However, the law firm representing the plaintiff class, Bursor & Fisher P.A., is currently looking for qualifying members to join the class action. They’ve set up a Sling TV Legal Action site where potential claimants can check to see if they qualify.
To check, simply go to the Sling TV Legal Action site, then click See If I Qualify. This will start a brief survey, which will determine if you’re eligible to join the class action.
Remember, this is ongoing litigation, so while the survey to see if you qualify is simple, actually getting a payout from Sling could be a more arduous process. Bursor & Fisher explicitly states, “A more detailed analysis of your particular data would be required to obtain a better estimate of what you are owed. There is no guarantee that a Court or Arbitrator would rule in your favor.”
However, if you join the class and the court rules in your favor, the law firm does say you could be eligible for a settlement payment of up to $2,500. It’s up to you to determine whether or not it’s worth it.
Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm has been with Tom’s Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He’s not one to shy away from a hot take, including that “John Wick” is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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