Forbes settlement: California readers can claim a share of $10M

What the Forbes settlement is about

The Forbes settlement resolves Berman, et al. v. Forbes Media LLC, a privacy class action in federal court in San Francisco (Case No. 3:24-cv-09287-WHO, before Judge William H. Orrick). The plaintiffs say trackers running on Forbes websites collected visitors' IP addresses and other unique identifiers without consent and passed them to third parties that use that data to target ads. They argue that violates the California Invasion of Privacy Act (Penal Code section 638.51) and the state's Unfair Competition Law.

Forbes denies the allegations and any wrongdoing, and the court never ruled for either side. Both sides agreed to settle rather than risk a trial. Forbes will pay $10,000,000 into a fund that covers administration costs, court-approved legal fees and expenses, awards for the two plaintiffs, and payments to class members. The judge granted preliminary approval on June 11, 2026.

Who qualifies for the Forbes settlement

The settlement class is California residents who visited "websites owned or controlled by Forbes" between Dec 20, 2023 and June 11, 2026 and had their IP address or another identifier shared with third parties through the trackers on those sites. The notice doesn't name individual sites. In plain terms, you're covered if:

• you lived in California when you visited;
• your visit fell inside that window; and
• you aren't Forbes, one of its affiliates or their officers, directors, employees or agents, a close relative of a Forbes officer or director, an employee of the class lawyers' firms, or the judge.

The class is defined by visiting, not buying, so you don't need a Forbes subscription. Nothing in the notice asks for receipts, account records or browsing history. If you got an email notice, it includes a Class Member ID, but people without one can still file (see the steps below).

How much you could get from the Forbes settlement

Nobody can tell you your exact payment yet, and the settlement website doesn't publish an estimate. Every valid, on-time claim gets the same pro rata share of whatever is left of the $10 million after costs come off the top. Class counsel can ask the judge for up to 25% of the fund ($2,500,000) plus expenses, and $2,500 for each of the two plaintiffs. The judge can award less.

So your check depends on turnout: the same pot split among fewer claimants pays more, and among many pays less. Equal-share privacy settlements are usually modest, so treat this as a few minutes of effort for a small payment, not a windfall. The math behind that is in why class action checks are so small.

How to file a Forbes settlement claim

Filing directly with the claims administrator is free and takes a few minutes. The only authorized website is MediaSiteTrackerSettlement.com, so type it in yourself instead of following a link in a text or social post.

1. Check that you fit: you lived in California and visited a Forbes website between Dec 20, 2023 and June 11, 2026.
2. Look for the email notice. If you received one, it contains a Class Member ID, so keep it handy.
3. Open the Submit Claim page on the official site and choose the path that matches you: with a Class Member ID, or without one.
4. Complete the Proof of Claim and submit it online by Nov 9, 2026.
5. Prefer paper? Print the Proof of Claim form from the site's Documents page and mail it, postmarked by Nov 9, 2026, to Berman, et al. v. Forbes Media LLC, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391.
6. Save your confirmation and watch the site for news after the Dec 2, 2026 hearing.

Forbes settlement key dates

The window to opt out or object closed on Sept 24, 2026. If you did nothing by then, you're in the class and bound by the settlement, but you can still claim. The only date you control now is the claim deadline. The final approval hearing is at the federal courthouse in San Francisco, and you don't have to attend.

Is the Forbes settlement legit?

Yes. It's a federal court case with a court-authorized notice, a public docket on CourtListener, and an administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, with a phone line at (833) 930-0568. The official site says it is the only authorized website for the case, and Judge Orrick granted preliminary approval on June 11, 2026.

Scammers do copy real settlements, so keep the basics in mind: never pay to file, never share a Social Security number or card number to "release" a payout, and be careful with look-alike domains. Our guides on Kroll emails and checks and settlement scams show what real notices look like.

What happens after you file

On Dec 2, 2026 the judge decides whether to approve the settlement, the legal fees and the plaintiff awards. Payments go out only after final approval and once any appeals are resolved. The notice says they'll be distributed as soon as possible after that but gives no date. Money in settlements like this commonly arrives months after approval, as explained in how long settlement checks take. A payment can also be taxable income; see taxes on settlement money.

Owed finds the settlements you may qualify for, explains each one in plain English, opens the official claim form, reminds you before deadlines and tracks your claim through to payout. You submit the claim yourself. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. You can check what else you may qualify for or browse all open settlements.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Owed is not a law firm or a settlement administrator; the court and the administrator decide who qualifies and how much they receive.

Glossary

Pro rata

An equal, proportional share. Here, the money left after costs and fees is divided evenly among every valid claim.

Class Member ID

An ID in the email notice that links your claim to your record. People without one can use a separate option on the claim page.

California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)

A California privacy law the plaintiffs say the trackers violated. Forbes denies that it did.

Tracker

Code on a website that records details about visitors, such as an IP address or identifier, and can pass them to other companies.

Final approval hearing

The court hearing where the judge decides whether the settlement, legal fees and plaintiff awards are fair. Payments wait for it.

Opt out

Choosing to leave a settlement to keep the right to sue on your own. The deadline for that was Sept 24, 2026.

FAQ