Apple on Friday agreed to settle a class action lawsuit over its Family Sharing feature for $25 million.
The suit, originally filed in 2019, alleged that Apple “misrepresented the ability to use its Family Sharing feature to share subscriptions to apps,” according to a page set up to alert plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit.
The plaintiffs claimed Apple didn’t make it clear that not all apps could be shared, since developers have the right to opt out of the program.
Apple has denied these allegations.
According to the page, you could be entitled to receive a payment from the settlement if you meet these criteria:
- You were enrolled in a Family Sharing group with at least one other person between June 21, 2015 and January 30, 2019.
- You were a U.S. citizen during that time period.
- You purchased a subscription to an app not published by Apple through the App Store during that time period.
If you meet these requirements, you have a few options when it comes to the settlement.
You must choose to receive the payment or opt out by March 1, 2024. If you choose to take the payment, you can’t sue Apple in a different lawsuit related to Family Sharing. If you opt out of the payment, you retain the rights to sue Apple separately, but you’ll have to foot the bill.
You can also object to the settlement by March 1, 2024. This can be done in writing, or you can ask the court for permission to speak at the final approval hearing on April 2, 2024.