April 10, 2026, 4:58 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
A massive incident continues to draw attention: Back in 2021, personal data from around 530 million Facebook accounts was made publicly accessible. A large number of users in Germany are affected. The published information comes from 2018 and 2019 and includes phone numbers, email addresses, and places of residence.
The data was collected through automated scraping. Since then, criminals have used this information for various scams, primarily phishing attacks and identity theft. This can have serious consequences for those affected.
Court Considers Possible Settlement with Meta
The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) has filed a lawsuit against Meta over the data leak. The case is currently being heard at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg. The last session took place at the end of March 2026.
The court has now proposed a settlement. Both parties are currently reviewing this proposal. For those affected, this could mean financial compensation. A flat rate of 100 euros is planned. Those whose more sensitive data is affected could receive up to 600 euros. No specific damage needs to be proven for this.
Limited Time Left to Join Class Action
Anyone wishing to join the class action should act quickly. Registration is done through the lawsuit register at the Federal Office of Justice. An important requirement is having a Facebook profile from 2018 or 2019 with a registered phone number.
Also of interest: Court Fines Meta Heavily for Youth Protection Violations
Important to know: If a settlement is reached, the deadline for registration may end abruptly. Only those who register in time will secure potential claims and benefit from an agreement.