Michigan American Media Magazine Privacy Class Action Settlement and Lawsuit Details

On June 8, 2017, a judge preliminarily approved a class action settlement that resulted from a lawsuit alleging publishers American Media Inc and Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group violated Michigan law by releasing customer subscription data to marketing companies. Any consumer who lived in Michigan and subscribed to a publication offered by American Media or Odyssey magazines within the class period might have the legal right to the benefits granted by the class action settlement. A little more than 400,000 Michigan consumers qualify for the financial benefits mandated by the American Media Magazine class action settlement.

According to court documents, Odyssey and American Media magazines violated Michigan’s Preservation of Personal Privacy Act. The primary plaintiff in the case charged both publishing companies with revealing customer information to third parties, without asking for customer consent. Information obtained by third parties typically was used to create targeted marketing strategies for promoting products and services. American Media and Odyssey magazines not only have to d\distribute monetary awards to eligible class members, the publishing companies must also refrain from disclosing customer subscription information to other companies, without the written consent of subscribers.

Although Odyssey and American Media magazines have agreed to the class action settlement, both publishing companies continue to deny the assertions made in the class action lawsuit. The companies settled the case to avoid the uncertainty of prolonged litigation.

What You Need To Know About The Michigan American Media Magazine Class Action Lawsuit And Settlement

According to class counsel, eligible class members of the American Media class action settlement “include anyone who, between April 14, 2010 and July 31, 2016, had a Michigan street address and who obtained a subscription to one or more of American Media or Odyssey Magazine publications.” The publications include Flex, Shape, Men’s Fitness, Fit Pregnancy, Muscle & Fitness, Country Weekly, National Enquirer, National Examiner, and Natural Health. Court documents state the potential award per qualifying class members is about $100. The amount of the financial award depends on the number of eligible class members who submit valid and timely claim forms. Qualifying class members must proclaim under the penalty of perjury that they meet all of the eligibility requirements mandated by the class action settlement.

Eligible class members have until October 21, 2017 to submit a valid claim form. The judge who granted preliminary approval of the class action settlement case Elizabeth Moeller, et al. v. American Media Inc., et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-11367-JEL-EAS, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan has scheduled the final hearing on September 27, 2017. Learn what happened at the final hearing by visiting the class action settlement website www.AmericanMediaMagazineSettlement.com. The class action settlement website also presents the list of attorneys representing the class and defense counsels.