Collective lawsuits against Google and AT & T
November 2010 was marked by large collective claims against Google and AT & T, and even a couple of weeks before the end of the month.
Google
The bottom line:
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On November 2, all users of the Gmail mail service (including those who use their own domains as the mail domain) who have the USA in their country of residence column received a letter from Google saying that they had filed a lawsuit against the company because of Google Buzz, and The link to the site created by the plaintiffs was given.
In a special newsletter that can be found on the website, on February 9, 2010, Google, by launching its Google Buzz service, automatically subscribed all Gmail users to this service, and through Buzz it was possible to view the latest contacts from Gmail without the user's knowledge. violating privacy laws of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC §2510 et seq; (ii) the Stored Communications Act, 18 USC §2701 et seq; (iii) the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 USC §1030 et seq; (iv)
A group of lawyers on the basis of this violation sued Google on behalf of all Gmail users from the United States, and as a result, Google allocated an amount of $ 8.5 million to cover the costs of this issue.
Possible actions:
The lawyers who started this process offer the following actions.
1. Exclude yourself from this lawsuit. Thus, you can file your lawsuit against Google to grab some of the $ 8.5 million. But you need to have time to apply before December 6.
2. To oppose this claim. This is for ardent fans of Google who want in this case to take the side of Google.
3. Ask for a plea in court in favor of the claim. A good method to shine for future lawyers.
4. Do nothing, and you automatically agree with this claim and are part of this class action.
Where is the money, Lebowski ?! What is the benefit?
Of the allotted $ 8.5 million (plus a delay if someone suffered financial losses due to this), provided that Google loses in court (which is very likely) - 25% plus all attendant costs of the hearing will go to lawyers, plus each of the 7 assistants will receive at $ 2500. Also, all legal costs will be deducted from this amount. Roughly about $ 2.5 will go to lawyers. It seemed that it was happiness - the remaining $ 6 million will be distributed among Gmail users. And no. This amount will be distributed among the organizations that deal with the privacy of Internet users (legal cut of dough in American). I would not even be surprised if Google is the creator of a couple of such organizations. If we assume that there are about 100 million users of Google Buzz in the USA, then each of them will be under 6 cents.
Total:
A hearing on this issue will begin on January 31, 2011 at 9 am.
Link to a collectively searched site .
AT & T
Essence: In mid-November, all users of the Iphone and other smartphones that had Internet access service connected (consider all smartphone users, because this service is obligatory for all owners of such phones) received an SMS message from AT & T informing that a class lawsuit was filed against the company for improper tax collection.
In addition to collecting fees for communication services, every telephone bill includes all sorts of government fees and taxes. What percentage of the fee for each of these services - I find it difficult to say. Here is an example of my last account from AT & T
60.00 - for the main room
9.99 - for an additional number
10 - 5 dollars for 200 sms for each number
60 - for $ 30 for unlimited internet (mandatory for smartphones)
Result: 139.99
And here are the taxes from this amount:
Government Fees & Taxes
CHCF A 0.08
CHCF B 0.33
Relay Service Device Fund 0.14
State 911 Tax 0.37
Teleconnect Fund 0.06
Universal Lifeline 0.86
City Utility Users Tax 7.75
Those. $ 9.6 plus a few bucks on the side go to all sorts of taxes, etc.
But then a certain law firm appeared which, on the basis of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, 47 USC § 151 (1998), which states that the Internet is not taxable and sued on behalf of all AT & T users. Those. I had to take taxes not from 139.99, but 79.99. Those. if you connected the Internet from this mobile operator (and everyone who ever bought an Iphone in the USA with a 2-year contract) did in the period from November 1, 2005 to September 7, 2010, then you must return overpaid taxes. I compared the taxes in the phone bills for the period before September 7 and after and noticed that the amount of tax used to be 14.96 instead of 9.6, i.e. refund amount 2.68 per month to each smartphone owner. I think the total amount to be returned will be a couple of billion dollars!
Possible actions:
Similar as with the situation with Google
What is the benefit?
Since September 2010, AT & T users have ceased to take tax from the Internet, and at the end of the hearing on this issue, overpaid money will be returned to all subscribers. In my case, it should be about $ 100.
The amount of money that will leave lawyers - no information. In general, such a scheme - AT & T should request a refund from the state and return to its subscribers. The position of AT & T will be greatly shaken if the state finds legal methods to refuse to return the funds.
Total:
The hearing on this issue will begin on March 11, 2011 at 9.30 am.
Link to a collectively searched site .
PS I apologize in advance for some possible errors in the text, a few years of lack of practice in spoken and written Russian do not feel good.
The bottom line:
')
On November 2, all users of the Gmail mail service (including those who use their own domains as the mail domain) who have the USA in their country of residence column received a letter from Google saying that they had filed a lawsuit against the company because of Google Buzz, and The link to the site created by the plaintiffs was given.
In a special newsletter that can be found on the website, on February 9, 2010, Google, by launching its Google Buzz service, automatically subscribed all Gmail users to this service, and through Buzz it was possible to view the latest contacts from Gmail without the user's knowledge. violating privacy laws of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC §2510 et seq; (ii) the Stored Communications Act, 18 USC §2701 et seq; (iii) the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 USC §1030 et seq; (iv)
A group of lawyers on the basis of this violation sued Google on behalf of all Gmail users from the United States, and as a result, Google allocated an amount of $ 8.5 million to cover the costs of this issue.
Possible actions:
The lawyers who started this process offer the following actions.
1. Exclude yourself from this lawsuit. Thus, you can file your lawsuit against Google to grab some of the $ 8.5 million. But you need to have time to apply before December 6.
2. To oppose this claim. This is for ardent fans of Google who want in this case to take the side of Google.
3. Ask for a plea in court in favor of the claim. A good method to shine for future lawyers.
4. Do nothing, and you automatically agree with this claim and are part of this class action.
Of the allotted $ 8.5 million (plus a delay if someone suffered financial losses due to this), provided that Google loses in court (which is very likely) - 25% plus all attendant costs of the hearing will go to lawyers, plus each of the 7 assistants will receive at $ 2500. Also, all legal costs will be deducted from this amount. Roughly about $ 2.5 will go to lawyers. It seemed that it was happiness - the remaining $ 6 million will be distributed among Gmail users. And no. This amount will be distributed among the organizations that deal with the privacy of Internet users (legal cut of dough in American). I would not even be surprised if Google is the creator of a couple of such organizations. If we assume that there are about 100 million users of Google Buzz in the USA, then each of them will be under 6 cents.
Total:
A hearing on this issue will begin on January 31, 2011 at 9 am.
Link to a collectively searched site .
AT & T
Essence: In mid-November, all users of the Iphone and other smartphones that had Internet access service connected (consider all smartphone users, because this service is obligatory for all owners of such phones) received an SMS message from AT & T informing that a class lawsuit was filed against the company for improper tax collection.
In addition to collecting fees for communication services, every telephone bill includes all sorts of government fees and taxes. What percentage of the fee for each of these services - I find it difficult to say. Here is an example of my last account from AT & T
60.00 - for the main room
9.99 - for an additional number
10 - 5 dollars for 200 sms for each number
60 - for $ 30 for unlimited internet (mandatory for smartphones)
Result: 139.99
And here are the taxes from this amount:
Government Fees & Taxes
CHCF A 0.08
CHCF B 0.33
Relay Service Device Fund 0.14
State 911 Tax 0.37
Teleconnect Fund 0.06
Universal Lifeline 0.86
City Utility Users Tax 7.75
Those. $ 9.6 plus a few bucks on the side go to all sorts of taxes, etc.
But then a certain law firm appeared which, on the basis of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, 47 USC § 151 (1998), which states that the Internet is not taxable and sued on behalf of all AT & T users. Those. I had to take taxes not from 139.99, but 79.99. Those. if you connected the Internet from this mobile operator (and everyone who ever bought an Iphone in the USA with a 2-year contract) did in the period from November 1, 2005 to September 7, 2010, then you must return overpaid taxes. I compared the taxes in the phone bills for the period before September 7 and after and noticed that the amount of tax used to be 14.96 instead of 9.6, i.e. refund amount 2.68 per month to each smartphone owner. I think the total amount to be returned will be a couple of billion dollars!
Possible actions:
Similar as with the situation with Google
What is the benefit?
Since September 2010, AT & T users have ceased to take tax from the Internet, and at the end of the hearing on this issue, overpaid money will be returned to all subscribers. In my case, it should be about $ 100.
The amount of money that will leave lawyers - no information. In general, such a scheme - AT & T should request a refund from the state and return to its subscribers. The position of AT & T will be greatly shaken if the state finds legal methods to refuse to return the funds.
Total:
The hearing on this issue will begin on March 11, 2011 at 9.30 am.
Link to a collectively searched site .
PS I apologize in advance for some possible errors in the text, a few years of lack of practice in spoken and written Russian do not feel good.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/108284/
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