Australian Facebook users can claim their stake of $50 million payment program after Cambridge Analytica breach

Australians impacted by the largest data breach in national history can now apply for their stake of a huge payout.

Registration for more than 311,000 Australian Facebook users for their part of a $50million settlement over the Meta’s involvement in Cambridge Analytica breach in the 2010s.

Personal information from more than 87 million Facebook profiled were harvested by the British data organisation during the breach through a third party app called the Life App.

While only 52 Australian Facebook users installed the quiz app, 311,074 users could have had their information stolen as “friends of installing Facebook users”.

To be eligible for the settlement you must have had a Facebook account from November 2, 2013 to December 17, 2015, were in Australia for more than 30 days during that time period and either installed the Life App or Facebook friends with someone who did.

Those who fit the criteria have until December 31, 2025, to submit a claim with the independent administrator of the scheme.

However, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has warned of scammers trying to steal information by posing as the administrator.

“If you receive a call from anyone offering to help you with a payment or refund, hang up immediately,” a statement from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner reads.

“Never give personal information to anyone calling you out of the blue; never give access to your computer or bank account; and never click on a link in a text message, or open an attachment in an email, if you were not expecting the text or email.

“If you have given information to a scammer or lost money, contact your bank immediately.”

Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd announced in December last year they had secured the “largest ever payment” in regards to the privacy of Australians.

“It represents a substantive resolution of privacy concerns raised by the Cambridge Analytica matter, gives potentially affected Australians an opportunity to seek redress through Meta’s payment program, and brings to an end a lengthy court process,’ Tydd said.

“This also applies to global corporations that operate here. Australians need assurance that whenever they provide their personal information to an organisation, they are protected by the Privacy Act wherever that information goes.”