A class action lawsuit has put HIDIVE, the anime streaming service owned by AMC Networks, in a lot of trouble lately. This very Hidive Class Action Lawsuit is all about HIDIVE and other AMC Networks services giving out private information about users without their permission. If you haven’t caught up with the updates and details of this case, well, worry not, we are about to share just that. Here we go.
A Quick Look at HIDIVE
HIDIVE began as a cool, separate streaming service for anime fans only. At some point though, AMC Networks, which has big hits like “The Walking Dead” and “Breaking Bad,” bought it. AMC also runs a number of other streaming services, such as AMC+, Acorn TV, AllBlk, Shudder, and Sundance Now. Because of how they treated users’ personal information, these services are now getting a lot of attention.
What’s This Hidive Class Action Lawsuit All About?
A lawsuit was sent to AMC Networks in January 2023. What is the claim? Personal information about users was shared by AMC Networks, which included HIDIVE, with outside parties without their permission. Under the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), this kind of information must be kept safe. It’s called personally identifiable information (PII). This law says that video services can’t show other people what you’re watching without your permission. AMC Networks is in trouble because they are said to have broken this very law and put users’ privacy at risk.
What’s the Big Issue?
People who filed the lawsuit say that AMC Networks shared information about its users with outside parties, like advertisers. They did this without telling users or asking their permission. When you share data in this way, your private information is made public without your permission, which is against the VPPA. In the same way, another streaming service called Crunchyroll got in trouble for the same thing.
Settling the Score
AMC Networks chose to settle instead of going to court, which would have taken a long time and cost a lot of money. They agreed to pay $8.3 million and change how they handle data, but they didn’t say they did anything wrong. This money will be put into a fund to help users who were hurt by the sharing of data. AMC Networks also said they would change how they use tracking technology going forward so they would follow the VPPA rules.
Who Can Get the Settlement?
If you used HIDIVE or any of the other streaming services owned by AMC Networks between January 18, 2021, and January 10, 2024, you could get a share of this settlement money. By April 9, 2024, you must go to the settlement page and fill out a form in order to get your share. It will help you figure out if you’re qualified and walk you through the whole process. You can still file a claim even if you didn’t get an email about the lawsuit. So yes, if you are sure that your data was leaked by the HIDIVE, then you are good to go and claim your share of the settlement money.
