google reached one $23 million settlement on a class action lawsuit filed against the company for sharing the user’s referrer header, which includes the user’s search terms, with third parties.
Although Google denies any wrongdoing in the settlement, it is still willing to pay you some of the money.
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If you used a Google search or clicked on a search link between October 25, 2006, and September 30, 2013, you are eligible for a portion of the settlement by filing a claim before July 31.
To file a claim, you need to go here Referrer Header Settlement Website, where you will be able to submit the claim form. You can also print out the form found on the site and mail it in.
If your claim is approved, you can earn approximately $7.70. Although the number may seem small, you can get yourself a coffee on Google’s money. When put like that, it doesn’t sound like that bad of a deal.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of filing a claim, you have other options, including doing nothing, opting yourself out of the settlement, or protesting if you believe the settlement shouldn’t be approved. Do it.
As part of the settlement, Google has also agreed to revise its “Frequently Asked Questions” and “Key Terms” webpages regarding the disclosure of search queries via referrer headers to third parties.











