Judge Signs Off On We-Vibe Lawsuit Settlement

CHICAGO—An Illinois judge has signed off on the settlement in a lawsuit filed last year against Standard Innovation by a woman who claimed the manufacturer’s We-Connect app was in violation of the Federal Wiretap Act and Illinois privacy statutes. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall gave final approval to the $3.75 million settlement, of which $3 million will go to users of the app and $750,000 will go to those who purchased the app-controlled vibrator. According to court documents, roughly 300,000 people purchased the vibrator and roughly 100,000 used it with the app. Additionally, Standard Innovation agreed to stop allowing the We-Connect app to collect personal information from users, as well as destroy all data previously collected. The Illinois woman who filed the suit and her co-plaintiff—who were identified as N.P. and P.S. respectively—will each receive $5,000. Also from the settlement amount, the plaintiffs’ attorneys from Edelson PC will receive a third of the fund awarded to users of the app and 30 percent of the amount awarded to vibrator owners; the amount totals a little more than $1,011,000. Because of the amount of the settlement awarded toward attorneys’ fees, purchasers of the We-Vibe products and users of the We-Connect app will each receive a maximum of $100, or as little as $20, depending on which product they bought.