Thomson Reuters CLEAR Settlement

A federal judge recently granted final approval to a $27.5 million settlement that resolves allegations against Thomson Reuters, the parent company of Reuters News, over its controversial CLEAR database.

The case alleged that Thomson Reuters harvested millions of Californians’ personal and confidential information and sold access to those records without proper consent.

Thomson Reuters Settlement Details & Payouts

The settlement class includes anyone who has lived in California since December 3, 2016. These individuals were initially eligible to seek compensation from the $27.5 million fund. The claimants were expected to receive payouts ranging from $19 to $48. The filing deadline was December 6, 2024.

However, since only around 1% of eligible class members actually filed claims, those who did submit claims will likely receive much larger payments than first projected.

The Lawsuit Against CLEAR

The class action originated in 2020, when plaintiffs alleged that Thomson Reuters compiled Californians’ photos and other identifiers into its CLEAR platform and then sold access to private entities and law enforcement groups.

This makes because CLEAR is marketed as an investigative tool that assists professionals in background checks and public records research.

Plaintiffs argued, however, that this practice violated the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and failed to inform individuals that their personal information was being sold to third parties.

Throughout the litigation, Thomson Reuters contended that its data collection and sale served the public by making investigative information more accessible to law enforcement and professionals.

Judge Chen was not persuaded, holding that privacy rights and consumer protections outweighed Thomson Reuters’ claimed justifications.

Why This Settlement Matters

Even if much of the information comes from public records, collecting and selling it in bulk without disclosure raises privacy concerns.

California’s CCPA played a central role in this case, signaling that companies operating in the state must tread carefully when monetizing personal data.

Cases like the Thomson Reuters CLEAR litigation show how powerful companies are building business models around data collection and surveillance. Legal action may be an option for you in similar cases.

The Lyon Firm represents plaintiffs in AI privacy data misuse lawsuits, and is equipped to handle complex cases involving both individual and class-wide claims.

If you believe your personal information has been collected or sold without your consent, the Lyon Firm can evaluate your case and pursue claims to hold data brokers and tech companies accountable.