How Californians can cash in on $27.5 million Thomson Reuters payout

OAKLAND, California – Most Californians now have the right to seek settlement in the class-action lawsuit and could receive an estimated $19 to $48 after $27.5 million was reached through the Clear platform between two Oakland activists and Thomson Reuters.

U.S. District Court Judge Edward M. Chen tentatively approved the settlement in the Northern District of California on Oct. 11. Chen will decide whether to finalize the agreement on February 13, 2025.

Law firms Gibbs Law Group and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll filed the lawsuit on behalf of Cat Brooks and Rasheed Shabazz in 2020, alleging that Thomson Reuters collected the personal and confidential information of millions of California residents and then sold access to that information. without their knowledge or consent.

Thomson Reuters is best known for its news agency Reuters and online legal research service Westlaw.

But the company makes money in another, lesser-known way: It collects photos, identifying information and personal data without their consent and sells that information to law enforcement, companies and government agencies through a platform called Clear, the lawsuit alleges.

The company announced that Clear allows its users to access “both surface and deep web data to examine intelligence” about people “not found in public records or traditional search engines.”

“Because of CLEAR, Californians’ identities are being put up for sale without their knowledge,” the lawsuit states, “let alone allowing it.”

The company, which has denied wrongdoing, also agreed to limit the data it keeps on state residents and make it easier to delete that data.

Brooks founded the Anti-Police Terrorism Project in Oakland, and Shabaaz was a creative cultural communicator and board member at the Alameda Museum.

In the lawsuit, Brooks said he was a target of white supremacist groups because of his activism in Black and brown communities and that he was very concerned about his personal identity being shared.

“The settlement accomplished what I hoped for when I decided to file this lawsuit.” Shabazz said in his statement. “It makes it easier for Californians to learn about CLEAR. It makes it easier for Californians to get their information from CLEAR. It also requires Thomson Reuters to take steps to protect the privacy of Californians when operating CLEAR.”

“This agreement will help other Californians learn about CLEAR and more easily remove their information from CLEAR and the sources that provide it,” Brooks added.

Brooks and Shabazz will earn $5,000 each, pending the judge’s approval.

The deadline for application is December 6. Anyone who has lived in California since December 3, 2016 is eligible. Learn more and submit an application claim here: