ComScore tracking suit settlement figure pegged at $14m

A court document filed last week, seeking preliminary approval of the settlement, explain how the agreement calls for comScore to establish a “$14m non-reversionary settlement fund, from which class member claims, attorneys’ fees and incentive awards, costs and administrative expenses would be paid”.

“The settlement also includes prospective relief requiring comScore to alter its privacy policy and implement certain protocols to ensure that its privacy practices remain consistent with its disclosures to consumers,” the document states.

The class action lawsuit, brought by Mike Harris and Jeff Dunstan in August 2011, accused the firm of “secretly” bundling its tracking software with various other programmes, such as free screen savers or games, and alleged that the company exceeded the scope of a consumer’s consent to monitoring by intercepting phone numbers, social security numbers, usernames, passwords and credit card numbers, among other personal information.

ComScore has always denied the claims, and unsuccessfully sought to appeal against the decision to grant class action status to the lawsuit in April 2013.

In early May it was reported that comScore had reached an agreement in principle to settle the action, but settlement details were not divulged at that stage.