Implementation of Secondary Disbursement Phase for Meta Platforms Privacy Settlement

Meta Platforms 隱私和解方案第二階段款項發放

Jun 9, 2026, 16:05
USTechnology

Introduction

Meta Platforms is initiating a second round of payments to a subset of users as part of a $725 million class action settlement regarding historical data privacy practices.

Meta Platforms 正針對其歷史數據隱私做法的 7.25 億美元集體訴訟和解方案，向部分用戶啟動第二輪付款。

Main Body

The litigation, titled 'In re: Facebook, Inc. Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation,' originated from allegations that the platform permitted unauthorized third-party access to user data between 2007 and 2022, specifically citing the harvesting of information by Cambridge Analytica. While Meta has maintained a denial of liability, a federal judge approved the settlement in October 2023. Following the resolution of two appeals in May 2025, the initial disbursement phase commenced in September 2025.

這起名為「In re: Facebook, Inc. Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation」的訴訟，源於指控該平台在 2007 年至 2022 年間允許未經授權的第三方獲取用戶數據，特別提及 Cambridge Analytica 蒐集資訊的行為。雖然 Meta 一直否認法律責任，但聯邦法官於 2023 年 10 月批准了該和解方案。在 2025 年 5 月解決兩項上訴後，首階段發款於 2025 年 9 月開始。

Eligibility for the settlement was broad, encompassing U.S. account holders during the specified timeframe; however, actual remuneration was contingent upon the submission of a claim by August 25, 2023. Of an estimated 250 million eligible individuals, approximately 19 million filed valid claims. The current secondary distribution, authorized by the court on May 6, 2026, is a result of residual funds remaining after the primary payouts. This phase is restricted exclusively to those who successfully processed their initial payments, which averaged $30. The subsequent payments are projected to average between $5 and $7.

和解方案的資格較為寬泛，涵蓋指定期間內的美國帳戶持有者；然而，實際獲得補償的前提是在 2023 年 8 月 25 日前提交申請。在估計 2.5 億名合資格人士中，約有 1,900 萬人提交了有效申請。法院於 2026 年 5 月 6 日授權的現階段二次分配，是由於首輪撥款後仍有剩餘資金。此階段僅限於先前成功處理首輪付款（平均 30 美元）的人士。預計隨後的付款金額平均在 5 至 7 美元之間。

Administrative oversight is conducted by Angeion Group, LLC. The administrator has issued directives regarding the prevention of fraudulent activity, noting that legitimate communications will not require the disclosure of Social Security numbers, government identification, or the payment of administrative fees. No further claims are being accepted at this juncture.

行政監督由 Angeion Group, LLC 負責。管理員已發布關於防止欺詐活動的指示，並指出合法溝通不會要求披露社會安全號碼、政府身份證明或支付行政費用。目前不再接受進一步的申請。

Conclusion

The second distribution phase began on June 9, 2026, and is expected to conclude within four weeks.

第二階段分配於 2026 年 6 月 9 日開始，預計將在四週內結束。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Nominalization in Legalistic Prose

To bridge the B2-C2 divide, one must move beyond describing actions and begin conceptualizing processes. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the linguistic process of turning verbs (actions) and adjectives (qualities) into nouns. This is the hallmark of C2-level academic and professional discourse, shifting the focus from who is doing what to the abstract state of the event.

◈ The Transformation Logic

Observe how the text avoids simple active phrasing to maintain an aura of institutional objectivity:

  • B2 Approach (Action-oriented): "Meta is paying people back for the second time because there was money left over."
  • C2 Execution (Conceptual): "The current secondary distribution... is a result of residual funds remaining."

In the C2 version, the action of paying is transformed into a noun phrase ("secondary distribution"). This allows the writer to treat the entire event as a single object that can be analyzed, qualified, and categorized.

◈ Strategic Lexical Density

Notice the high concentration of 'heavy' nouns that encapsulate complex legal sequences:

"...remuneration was contingent upon the submission of a claim..."

Instead of saying "You had to submit a claim to get paid" (Verb →\rightarrow Verb), the author uses "remuneration" (Noun) and "submission" (Noun).

Why this matters for C2 Mastery:

  1. Precision: It removes ambiguity regarding the actor and emphasizes the requirement.
  2. Formal Distance: It creates a professional detachment necessary for legal and administrative contexts.
  3. Information Packing: By using nouns, the writer can attach modifiers (e.g., "administrative oversight," "fraudulent activity") without lengthening the sentence structure.

◈ The 'Abstract Shift' Guide

To emulate this, practice shifting your focus from the Agent →\rightarrow Action to the Concept →\rightarrow State.

B2 Verb-CentricC2 Nominalized Concept
They processed the payments.The processing of payments.
The judge approved it.Following the approval by the court.
They are initiating a round.The initiation of a disbursement phase.

Vocabulary Learning

disbursement (n.)
The act of paying out money, especially from a formal fund or account.
Example:The organization managed the disbursement of grants to various research institutions.
litigation (n.)
The process of taking legal action or the act of conducting a lawsuit.
Example:The company decided to settle the dispute out of court to avoid prolonged litigation.
harvesting (v.)
In a computing context, the process of automatically collecting large amounts of data from a website or system.
Example:The software was designed for harvesting email addresses from public forums.
remuneration (n.)
Money paid as a reward, reimbursement, or payment for services rendered.
Example:The executive's total remuneration included a base salary and performance-based bonuses.
contingent (adj.)
Depending on certain circumstances; conditional.
Example:The final sale of the property is contingent upon the buyer securing a mortgage.
residual (adj.)
Remaining after the greater part or essence has gone.
Example:The residual funds from the project were donated to a local charity.
juncture (n.)
A particular point in events or time, often a critical one.
Example:At this critical juncture, the board must decide whether to merge with the competitor.
Practice C2 words in a crossword→