LawNews

Forbes Settles $7.5M Class Action Over Facebook Privacy Violations

Forbes has agreed to a $7.5 million settlement to resolve claims it violated the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) by sharing online subscriber information with

Published: Oct 5, 2025 6:47 PM

By RETAILBOSS Team

LawNews

Forbes Settles $7.5M Class Action Over Facebook Privacy Violations

Forbes has agreed to a $7.5 million settlement to resolve claims it violated the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) by sharing online subscriber information with Facebook via a tracking pixel. The settlement applies to U.S. Forbes account holders, mobile app users, or newsletter subscribers with a Facebook account who accessed videos on Forbes.com between July 25, 2020, and December 1, 2022.

Background and Allegations According to the class action, Forbes transmitted personal data to Facebook without user consent, which plaintiffs say is expressly prohibited by the VPPA. The law was originally enacted to protect videotape rental records and now extends to digital video services.

According to the class action lawsuit, Forbes shared subscriber information with Facebook through a Facebook tracking pixel.

Plaintiffs in the case say this violated the VPPA, which prohibits the sharing of video consumer information without consent.” Forbes did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay to resolve the claims and removed the tracking pixel from its video pages in December 2022. Who Is Eligible for the Settlement? U.S.

Forbes online account holders, mobile app account holders, or newsletter subscribers Must have had a Facebook account Must have accessed a video through Forbes.com from July 25, 2020, to December 1, 2022 Must have used the same device and browser to access both Forbes and Facebook during the relevant period How Much Can Class Members Receive?…

Members-only article

Unlock the rest of this story

Join free to keep reading RetailBoss law coverage, industry analysis, and market intelligence.

Company

Account name Used publicly if you comment. We encourage your real first name.

Password

Send me RetailBoss newsletter emails through Substack. I can unsubscribe anytime. Confirm that I want to create a free RetailBoss account.

Free access. No credit card required. Your account is created after you verify your email.

RetailBoss is an independent global news publication and business insights platform built for executives, founders, operators, analysts, marketers, investors, and brand leaders. Our reporting covers the retail shifts across luxury, fashion, beauty, technology and marketing strategy.

Since: 2011
Audience: 50 Million+
Coverage: Global Markets

Our editorial stance

We prioritize news value, evidence, attribution, and practical relevance to retail decision-makers. Sponsored work is identified, and editorial coverage is kept distinct from commercial partnerships.

More from Law

Shiseido’s Virtual Try On Tool Faces a Class Action Alleging Illegal Facial Scan Collection Across Multiple Beauty Brands

Shiseido Americas Corporation is facing a proposed class action alleging that the virtual cosmetic try on feature available across several of its brand websites collects, stores, and uses consumers’ facial scans without their knowledge or consent, in violation of the…

BeautyLaw

RETAILBOSS Team4 months ago

Galderma Agrees to a $990,000 Settlement Over Alleged Benzene Contamination in Differin Acne Products

Galderma Laboratories has agreed to a $990,000 settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging that certain Differin branded benzoyl peroxide acne treatments were potentially contaminated with benzene, a well known carcinogen. The settlement received preliminary court approval on February…

BeautyLaw

RETAILBOSS Team4 months ago

State of Texas Sues Shein Alleging Toxic Fashion, ‘Poisoned’ Products and Consumer Data Risks

Texas has escalated its fight with fast-fashion retailer Shein, filing a sweeping lawsuit that should make every consumer brand and ultra-fast e-commerce player, sit up straight and listen. In a petition lodged in Collin County District Court, Attorney General Ken…

ConsumerFashion

Jeanel Alvarado5 months ago

Ann Taylor and Loft face Class Action Over “Hidden” Online Processing Fees and Alleged Drip Pricing

A new class action lawsuit alleges that AnnTaylor.com and Loft.com are quietly adding mandatory processing or handling fees at the very end of checkout, a practice plaintiffs say amounts to illegal drip pricing and deceptive advertising. The case targets parent…

LawLawsuit

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

View all Law

Featured Events

LTK Con 2026 promotional artwork featuring Emma Grede

Recommended Articles

A Federal Judge Has Overturned the Nike vs Lululemon Flyknit Patent Case Verdict in a Major Legal Reversal

A U.S. federal judge has overturned a jury verdict that found Lululemon infringed a Nike sneaker patent, wiping out a $355,450 damages award and ruling that the asserted patent claims are invalid as obvious. The decision is a major legal…

LawLawsuit

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

Federal Trade Commission Turns up the Heat on “Made in USA” Claims with upto $2 Million Fines

The Federal Trade Commission is putting companies on notice that if you lean on Made in USA as a selling point, you need to be able to prove it, or face real financial and reputational risk. In July 2025, the…

LawNews

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

Wayfair Faces a Class Action Lawsuit Claiming Its 30 Day Return Policy Deceives Consumers into Buying Non Returnable Items

Wayfair, Inc., the online home goods giant, is facing a proposed class action lawsuit filed on March 23, 2026, in California state court, alleging the retailer prominently advertises a 30 day return policy across its website while failing to clearly…

LawLawsuit

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

Selena Quintanilla’s Family Takes Shein to Court Over Unauthorized Merchandise

Suzette Quintanilla, the sister of the late Tejano music icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, has filed a federal lawsuit against fast fashion retailer Shein, accusing the company of selling clothing featuring her sister’s name and likeness without any permission or compensation. The…

EcommerceLaw

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

Michael Kors Settles Misleading Outlet Discounts Lawsuit with Up to $30 Vouchers

Michael Kors has agreed to settle a misleading discounts class action that accused its outlet stores of advertising fake original prices and inflated markdowns on apparel, handbags, shoes, and accessories. The settlement, which is now closed to new claims, offers…

LawLuxury

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

Amazon Loses Bid to Block Two UK Antitrust Lawsuits Worth Up to £4 Billion

Amazon has suffered a significant legal setback in the United Kingdom, after the Court of Appeal on February 26, 2026, refused the company permission to challenge the certification of two major antitrust collective actions. The decision clears the path for…

EcommerceLaw

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

Amazon Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Hidden Return Fees Deducted from Customer Refunds

Amazon is facing a proposed class action lawsuit filed on February 2, 2026, accusing the e commerce giant of deceiving consumers by quietly deducting so called “return fees” from customer refunds, despite widely advertising free returns on the vast majority…

EcommerceFinance

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

New Class Action Accuses Ann Taylor and Loft of Drip Pricing, Hidden Processing and Handling Fees

Ann Taylor and Loft are facing a proposed Class Action that accuses their parent company, Premium Brands Opco LLC, of using hidden processing and handling fees on their e commerce sites in violation of new junk fee and honest pricing…

EcommerceFinance

RETAILBOSS Team5 months ago

View all Law

The Cult-Status Index: Top Fashion Brands with a Cult-Like Following

The Most-Searched Brands on Mytheresa So Far This Year

World’s Most Visited Fast Fashion Websites (Jan 2026)

Top 10 Luxury Fashion Resale Websites

Most Influential Luxury Maisons

Forbes Settles $7.5M Class Action Over Facebook Privacy Violations

Forbes has agreed to a $7.5 million settlement to resolve claims it violated the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) by sharing online subscriber information with

Unlock the rest of this story

More from Law

Shiseido’s Virtual Try On Tool Faces a Class Action Alleging Illegal Facial Scan Collection Across Multiple Beauty Brands

Galderma Agrees to a $990,000 Settlement Over Alleged Benzene Contamination in Differin Acne Products

State of Texas Sues Shein Alleging Toxic Fashion, ‘Poisoned’ Products and Consumer Data Risks

Ann Taylor and Loft face Class Action Over “Hidden” Online Processing Fees and Alleged Drip Pricing

Featured Events

LTKCon 2026

New York Fashion Week (September)

London Fashion Week (Autumn)

Milan Fashion Week: Women’s Spring Summer 2027

Recommended Articles

A Federal Judge Has Overturned the Nike vs Lululemon Flyknit Patent Case Verdict in a Major Legal Reversal

Federal Trade Commission Turns up the Heat on “Made in USA” Claims with upto $2 Million Fines

Wayfair Faces a Class Action Lawsuit Claiming Its 30 Day Return Policy Deceives Consumers into Buying Non Returnable Items

Selena Quintanilla’s Family Takes Shein to Court Over Unauthorized Merchandise

Michael Kors Settles Misleading Outlet Discounts Lawsuit with Up to $30 Vouchers

Amazon Loses Bid to Block Two UK Antitrust Lawsuits Worth Up to £4 Billion

Amazon Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Hidden Return Fees Deducted from Customer Refunds

New Class Action Accuses Ann Taylor and Loft of Drip Pricing, Hidden Processing and Handling Fees

Unlock the rest of this story

More from Law

Featured Events

Recommended Articles

Sign up for RetailBoss Daily Newsletter