Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Reactions as Crunchyroll has agreed to pay $30k to eligible users in a class-action lawsuit settlement involving the release of users’ personal info.
According to the Kroll Settlement Administration, Crunchyroll will pay claimants an equal portion of a $30,000 settlement amount, with estimates suggesting that anyone submitting a claim form for the suit will likely receive up to $30. It’s important to note that the $30,000 settlement amount is only a small portion of the total $16 million settlement fund.Â
Despite the settlement, Sony and Crunchyroll continue to deny the claims, stating that the distribution of data did not violate any official policies or precedents, though they opted to settle anyway “to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the case,” according to Sony. The VPPA asserts that “personally identifiable information” includes any details that could potentially identify the specific video content or services that a user requests from a provider, which third-party companies can use for targeted marketing.
The anime industry is in the midst of a major boom with Western audiences. Most recently, the One Piece live adaptation shattered records, hitting the first spot on Netflix’s Top 10 TV chart in 84 different countries. One Piece surpassed Wednesday and Stranger Things, earning a second-season renewal.
And anime streaming services only benefit from an increase in visibility. In August, One Piece became the first anime to crash Crunchyroll two weeks in a row. The streaming service has arguably established itself as the king of the medium but has recently found itself under fire.
Earlier this year, Crunchyroll became the subject of a class-action lawsuit following its alleged release of personally identifiable information from subscribers to several third-party companies like Facebook, which suit filers Salvador Beltran, Eli Gross and others claimed violated the United States’ Video Privacy Protection Act. Following the suit, the company, which is a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, will pay claimants an equal portion of a $30,000 settlement amount, with estimates suggesting that anyone who submits a claim form for the suit is likely to receive up to $30.
In September 2022, Crunchyroll allegedly released personally identifiable information from subscribers to several third-party companies like Facebook, which suit filers Salvador Beltran, Eli Gross, and others claimed violated the United States’ Video Privacy Protection Act.