Facebook settles text-messaging suit
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - December 18, 2007 The settlement was announced Tuesday by attorneys for an Indiana
woman who claimed Palo Alto-based Facebook had been profiting from
text messages sent by its members after the intended recipients had
given up the phone numbers.
The lawsuit filed by Lindsey Abrams of Patriot, Ind., said she
received text messages with explicit comments and other upsetting
content - and had to pay 10 cents each time. Facebook received a
share of the fee, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, which Abrams's lawyers had hoped
would be certified as a class action, Abrams started getting the
unsolicited messages shortly after she got a new mobile number from
Verizon Communications Inc. in November 2006.
Her suit alleged thousands of other unauthorized text messages
had been sent nationwide to other recycled phone numbers, including
some used by young children.
Facebook stipulated to the agreement in court papers filed Dec.
14 in San Jose federal court. A Facebook spokeswoman declined to
comment Tuesday.
The two-month-old case highlighted the problems that can arise
as Web sites extend their services to mobile handsets with phone
numbers that have been reassigned after another customer's service
ended.
Facebook's rapid growth has greatly increased the chances of
unauthorized messages originating from its network. Nearly 40
million people have joined Facebook in the past eight months.
Without admitting any wrongdoing, Facebook agreed to make it
easier for recipients of text messages to block future messages
originating from the social network.
Facebook also will work more closely with mobile phone carriers
to monitor the lists of recycled numbers and reduce the frequency
of unwanted text messages.
Facebook also agreed to pay the legal fees of Abrams' attorneys,
who work for KamberEdelson LLP in Chicago. The amount will be
determined by after court hearings next year.
