Newsletter SOMI - January 28th, 2025
This is the newsletter for January 2025 from the Foundation for Market Information Research to its relations, including the participants in its actions, its sympathizers, media professionals and app users.
Jan Tue 28 2025
Data Protection Day
On January 28, we celebrate Data Protection Day - a reminder of the importance of safeguarding our personal data in a rapidly digitalizing world, where the growing influence of Big Tech poses significant threats to our privacy and autonomy.
At SOMI, we are committed to safeguarding the personal data of European citizens by holding Big Tech companies accountable. Through legal actions against these companies for violating privacy regulations, we are working to ensure your rights are respected and your sensitive information remains secure.
Together, we can create a safer digital environment where privacy is prioritized, and your data is truly yours to control.
Earn up to €900 with our referral program
SOMI is offering €5 in the Litigation Certificates Serie 2024 per each participant that you refer to our claims. In case of a favorable result in the TikTok, Meta, or in the X claim, we pay out up to €25,- for every €5 of SOMI Litigation Certificates 2024. Please see our Referral Terms & Conditions for more information.
With our referral program, we save ourselves the cost of online marketing, which would otherwise go to companies such as TikTok, Meta or X. We prefer to share the litigation funding fee with our own participants. All proceeds the end of any campaign are fully spent within our non-profit statutory purpose.
How can I participate?
When you join one of our collective claims, you will receive an email with your referral code. You can share this code with the maximum of 10 people per each claim, and they must fill in the referral code on the registration form. Please see below the list of our current active claims.
The referral code is also available on SOMI app, you can find it on the 'Share with Friends' page.
X (Twitter) claim
On August 16th, SOMI launched a collective claim against X (formerly Twitter) for violations of the fundamental rights of millions of its users regarding data protection and consumer protection.
X has been engaging in unlawful practices for years to generate more visitors and advertising revenue. By using manipulative practices combined with a lack of transparency about the use of personal data, X unfairly benefits from its millions of users.
SOMI is committed to addressing these issues and advocate for consumers and to seek compensation for the damage and unjust enrichment caused by X. Participation in this claim is free of charge.
Meta (Facebook) Claim
In November 2023, SOMI instituted a claim against Meta (Facebook) for a data breach that happened in April 2021 and for violating its users privacy on a large scale by using their personal data for advertising purposes without valid legal basis and transferring personal data to the United States without sufficient safeguards.
We estimate the damage per victim as follows: for every person who had a Facebook account and used Facebook after May 25, 2018: €500, and for every person whose data was leaked in the data breach: €1,000. We therefore claim €1,500 for victims who fall into both categories.
TikTok Claim
We have launched a collective claim against TikTok in the Netherlands in April 2021, and in Belgium in October 2024.
Adults who have used TikTok, as well as parents of children who use or have used TikTok since May 25th, 2018 and can participate in the claim.
These are the amounts that SOMI claims as compensation for the participants of the collective claim against TikTok:
Children under 13 years old: €2,000
Children aged 13-15 years: €1,000
Children aged 16-17 years: €500
Adult users: €350