Who is a Class Member
Class members of the Consumer Reports Magazine Subscriber Privacy class action settlement include “all persons with Michigan street addresses who purchased a subscription and between April 1, 2010 and October 31, 2016, purchased or had a subscription to a Consumer Reports Publication.”
Consumer Reports Publications include any magazine or publication published by Defendant or any of its subsidiaries in the United States, including but not limited to any one of the following magazines and/or publications:
- Consumer Reports
- Consumer Reports Online
- Consumer Reports on Health Newsletter
- ShopSmart
- MoneyAdvisor
If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Settlement Amount
- $16,375,000.00
Estimated Award
- $180 (estimated)
The amount of your payment will depend on how many of the Settlement Class Members file valid and timely claims. Class Counsel anticipates will be approximately $180 per claimant.
Proof of Purchase
- N/A
Claim Form
Consumer Reports Magazine Subscriber Privacy Settlement Notes
- Ruppel v. Consumers Union of United Stqtes Inc.
- Case No. 16-cv-02444-KMK
- Pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Plaintiff Don Ruppel filed this class action lawsuit in April 2016 against the publisher of several magazines including Consumer Reports and Money Advisor, alleging the company illegally disclosed its subscribers’ personal information, (including names, addresses and the name of the magazine subscribed to) to third parties, which Ruppel claims is without permission and in violation of Michigan’s Preservation of Personal Privacy Act.
The MVRP Act prohibits companies from disclosing the subscription and reading habits of consumers, specifically providing protection of Michigan consumers’ information that reveals their reading, listening, and viewing preferences.
Consumer Reports says it chose to settle this case, without admitting liability, to focus time, effort and resources on protecting consumers, as the organization has since its founding, and not on additional legal fees and the uncertainty of litigation. Complete details about the case and settlement are provided on the Consumer Reports Magazine Settlement website.
Three similar magazine subscriber privacy class action lawsuits were recently settled. The most recent against Time Magazine, was settled for $7.4 million in July 2018. Additionally, Trusted Media Brands, the publisher of magazines such as the Reader’s Digest settled a Subscriber Privacy class action lawsuit for $8.2 million and Wenner Media, the publisher of Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal, and US Weekly magazines was settled for $1.1 million. All three lawsuits alleged violations of Michigan’s VPRA and privacy statutes.
Class members who wish to exclude themselves or object to the terms of the Consumer Reports Magazine Settlement must do so by October 4, 2018. Class members who wish to participate in the settlement must submit their claim form on or before January 17, 2019.
Important Dates
- 1/17/19: Claim Form Deadline
- 10/4/18: Objection or Exclusion Deadline
- 11/30/18: Final Hearing at 11:00 am ET* (class members do not need to attend this hearing in order to receive a slice of the settlement pie).
Settlement Class Members who wish to speak at the hearing should check www.CRMagazineSettlement.com to confirm that the date or time of the Hearing has not been changed.
Contact Information
- Mail: Magazine Subscriber Privacy Settlement, c/o JND Legal Administration, PO Box 91304, Seattle, WA 98111
- Phone: 1-888-337-9111
- Email: info@CRMagazineSettlement.com
Class Counsel
Settlement Website