Tinder has come under legal fire recently after the dating app giant allegedly implemented different subscription prices based on users' ages.
According to the lawsuit, older users were charged higher fees for the same premium services as younger users.
“Tinder has brazenly announced and employed a multi-tiered pricing plan that treats consumers unequally based solely on their age,” the original lawsuit stated.
Now, around 260,000 users in California are eligible for part of a $60.5 million payout after the online dating giant agreed to settle the dispute.
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The settlement applies to California residents aged 29 or older who purchased Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold subscriptions on or after 2 March 2015, or those who were 28 or older when they bought subscriptions on or after 2 March 2016. Tinder has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
Affected users have until 8 April to opt out or challenge the settlement terms and until 18 August to decide on their payment method.
“Each class member will also receive a share based on how much the class member paid for Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold,” the settlement document explained.
How much you could receive from Tinder’s $60M payout
The official figures haven't yet been disclosed, and so, UNILAD Tech consulted ChatGPT for a rough framework for payouts. The full $60.5 million won't be distributed entirely to users, as legal fees, litigation expenses, and administrative costs will be deducted first.
Additionally, a small service award (about $20,000) may be awarded to the class representative in the case.
The OpenAI chatbot noted that 'instead of a flat per-person amount, the settlement fund will be divided in a combined formula.'
70% of the net settlement will be distributed equally among all qualified members.
The remaining 30% would be divided based on how much each person actually paid for Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold. This means the exact payout value will vary individually, with 'those who paid more get a bigger share.'
"Because the payouts are proportionate to what each person paid and how many participate, the exact number will vary by individual," the chatbot noted.
Based on the fund size and projected class size, ChatGPT estimated that 'most class members will likely receive a few hundred dollars,' in the range of '$100–$300+'. However, the AI stressed that these are not official figures, so your actual compensation might fall within or outside this range.
A court hearing for final settlement approval of the settlement is set for 20 May in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.