ZoomInfo has agreed to pay close to $30 million to resolve potential class claims that it nonconsensually used people’s names and identities to advertise paid access to its full database. This settlement allows monetary recovery for just over a million class members across four states, class counsel informed an Illinois federal judge on Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Charles Kocoras mentioned during a brief hearing on the motion for preliminary approval that he would need to review the settlement terms further before giving an initial green light.
ZoomInfo To Pay $30M To End Privacy Suit : Details of the Suit
The suit claims ZoomInfo used class members’ identifying information such as their names, business addresses, work history, job titles, and partial contact information without their consent. This was done to market subscriptions to its website, allegedly violating the Illinois Right of Publicity Act and similar right of publicity laws.
Groundbreaking Settlement
In her motion for initial approval, lead plaintiff Jessica Ramos highlighted that the parties reached a “groundbreaking” deal on the verge of a ruling on certification for an Illinois class. This settlement, totaling about $29.5 million, is noted as the largest aggregate settlement fund ever secured for these alleged violations.
