The TikTok data privacy settlement claim form was the document class members used to request a payment from the $92 million fund in In re: TikTok, Inc., Consumer Privacy Litigation, Case No. 1:20-cv-04699. The filing deadline was March 1, 2022, the court granted final approval in July 2022, and payments have since gone out to verified claimants.1United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In re TikTok, Inc., Consumer Privacy Litigation – Memorandum Opinion and Order The claim window is closed. If you already received a payment, the tax section below still applies to you.
What the Lawsuit Was About
The complaint alleged that ByteDance and its subsidiaries used the TikTok app to collect users’ private information, including biometric data, geolocation, and unpublished digital recordings, in violation of federal and state privacy laws.2Justia. In Re: TikTok, Inc., Consumer Privacy Litigation The $92 million settlement combined cash payments with injunctive relief prohibiting the challenged practices going forward.1United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In re TikTok, Inc., Consumer Privacy Litigation – Memorandum Opinion and Order
Who Was Eligible to File
The settlement covered two groups.
- The Nationwide Class included all U.S. residents who used the TikTok or Musical.ly app before September 30, 2021.3TikTok Data Privacy Settlement. TikTok Data Privacy Settlement
- The Illinois Subclass included Illinois residents who used the app in Illinois to create videos before September 30, 2021. Because Illinois has its own biometric privacy law, subclass members were entitled to roughly six times the nationwide payment.3TikTok Data Privacy Settlement. TikTok Data Privacy Settlement
Minors were included in both classes, and a parent or guardian had to submit the form on the child’s behalf.3TikTok Data Privacy Settlement. TikTok Data Privacy Settlement No new claims are being accepted, and the settlement does not cover conduct after September 30, 2021.
What the Claim Form Asked For
The form collected identifiers meant to match each filer to a real TikTok account. If you kept a copy of what you submitted, it should include the following.
Personal and Account Information
Claimants entered their first and last name, street address, city, state, and zip code, along with two email addresses: their current email and the email tied to their TikTok account, if any. The TikTok-linked email let the administrator cross-reference the claim against company records. Filers also listed every username for accounts they or their minor child had used.4United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. TikTok Data Privacy Settlement Claim Form
Subclass Selection and Payment Method
Each claimant designated whether they belonged to the Nationwide Class or the Illinois Subclass, then chose how to be paid. Digital options were PayPal, Venmo, or a virtual prepaid card. Filers who preferred a mailed check could request one.
Signed Attestation
At the bottom, the filer signed under penalty of perjury that the information was true and that they had not submitted another claim in the same settlement.4United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. TikTok Data Privacy Settlement Claim Form
How Much Claimants Received
Based on recipient reports, Nationwide Class members received roughly $27 per claim, and Illinois Subclass members received approximately $167, consistent with the six-times multiplier written into the settlement agreement. The per-person amount depended on how many valid claims were filed. After attorneys’ fees, administration costs, and service awards to the named plaintiffs were deducted, the remaining fund was divided among verified claimants, so a larger claim pool meant a smaller individual share.
Taxes on the Payment You Received
The IRS treats a TikTok settlement payment as taxable income. Under 26 U.S.C. ยง 61, gross income includes all income from whatever source derived unless a specific code section excludes it.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 61 – Gross Income Defined The exclusion for lawsuit proceeds in Section 104(a)(2) applies only to damages received on account of personal physical injuries or physical sickness.6Internal Revenue Service. Tax Implications of Settlements and Judgments A data privacy payment compensates non-physical harm and does not qualify.
For tax years beginning after 2025, the federal reporting threshold for Form 1099 rises to $2,000, up from $600.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 1099 (2026), General Instructions for Certain Information Returns Most TikTok payments were well below even the old $600 threshold, so many recipients will not receive a 1099. You still owe the tax and must report the income whether a 1099 arrives or not. A tax professional can point you to the correct line on your return if you are unsure.
What You Gave Up by Not Opting Out
Class members who did not opt out, whether they filed a claim or not, released TikTok and its parent companies from all claims arising out of the privacy practices at issue in the lawsuit. You cannot now sue TikTok separately over data collection that happened before September 30, 2021 and fell within the scope of the case. The release does not reach conduct after that date or factual theories outside the litigation.