California residents who visited a Forbes website between December 20, 2023 and June 11, 2026 and had their IP address or unique identifiers shared with third parties through trackers.
Forbes agreed to pay $10 million to settle claims that trackers on its sites collected and shared visitor data without consent, in violation of California privacy law. Forbes denies wrongdoing.
A pro rata share of the fund after fees, costs and awards. The notice gives no fixed amount because it depends on how many valid claims come in.
File online or by mail by November 9, 2026. You do not need to send proof.
No. Class counsel is paid from the fund, and you can file the claim yourself for free.
A class action says Forbes used trackers on its websites that collected California visitors’ IP addresses and other identifiers and shared them with third parties for advertising, without consent. Forbes agreed to pay $10 million to settle. This page explains who qualifies, how to claim and the dates that matter.
The case is Berman et al. v. Forbes Media LLC, No. 3:24-cv-09287, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Forbes denies any wrongdoing and the court has not decided who is right. This page is general information and not legal advice.
Key deadlines
Claim by November 9, 2026. The opt out and objection deadline was September 24, 2026 and has passed. The final approval hearing is on December 2, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. PT. Check the official settlement website for changes. See our guide to class action settlements with no proof of purchase for how claims like this work.
The lawsuit says trackers on Forbes websites collected visitors’ IP addresses and unique identifiers and passed them to third parties that use the data to target ads. Plaintiffs say this broke Section 638.51 of the California Invasion of Privacy Act and the state’s Unfair Competition Law. The case was filed in December 2024 and is covered by ClassAction.org.
You are in the class if you are a California resident who accessed a website owned or controlled by Forbes between December 20, 2023 and June 11, 2026, and your IP address or unique identifiers were shared with third parties through the trackers. Forbes and its affiliates, their officers and employees, and anyone who opted out are excluded.
Forbes will pay $10 million into a fund. Class lawyers may ask for up to 25 percent ($2.5 million) plus costs, and each of the two class representatives may receive $2,500, all subject to court approval. What is left after administration costs is shared pro rata among valid claims, so your payment depends on how many people claim.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Settlement fund | $10,000,000 |
| Attorney fees (maximum) | $2,500,000 plus costs |
| Class representative awards | $2,500 each |
Claim before it closes.
The only way to get paid is a claim filed by November 9, 2026, and no proof is required to file.
Go to the official settlement website and submit the Proof of Claim online, or mail it, postmarked by November 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. You can call Kroll at 833-930-0568.
You can file a claim to get paid. The opt out and objection window has closed. If you do nothing you get no payment and you give up the right to sue Forbes over these claims. Our guide on how to sue a company explains what going alone involves.
Case: Berman et al. v. Forbes Media LLC
Case number: 3:24-cv-09287-WHO
Court: U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
Administrator: Kroll, 833-930-0568
Website: mediasitetrackersettlement.com
Yes. A federal court notice says Forbes agreed to pay $10 million to settle Berman et al. v. Forbes Media LLC. Forbes denies wrongdoing.
There is no fixed amount. Each valid claim gets a pro rata share of what remains after fees, costs and awards.
November 9, 2026, online or postmarked by mail.
Yes. The class is limited to California residents.
No supporting documents are required, though the administrator may contact you to verify your claim.
Websites owned or controlled by Forbes. Check the settlement website if you are unsure about a specific site.
After the court grants final approval and any appeals end. The final approval hearing is December 2, 2026.
The California Invasion of Privacy Act. The lawsuit says Forbes broke Section 638.51 of it by using trackers to collect and share visitor data.