In the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Kayla Moller has filed a class action lawsuit against Coffee Meets Bagel, Inc. The case ID is 1:24-cv-03015 and was filed on April 15, 2024. The suit alleges violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
Moller's complaint, represented by her unnamed counsel, accuses Coffee Meets Bagel of illegally collecting, storing, and using biometric identifiers and information without obtaining informed written consent or providing requisite data retention and destruction policies. The defendant operates an internet-based dating and social networking service that requires users to create accounts using personal details and photographs.
According to the filing, Coffee Meets Bagel scans uploaded photographs to create a biometric template of the user's face for identity verification purposes. This process allegedly involves sharing user data with Persona, a third-party identity verification company. The plaintiff contends that this practice is in direct violation of BIPA as it occurs without obtaining written releases, consent, or authorization from its users.
Moller seeks damages and other legal and equitable remedies for herself and others similarly situated who have been affected by these alleged illegal actions. She asserts that once biometrics are compromised, individuals are at heightened risk for identity theft and are likely to withdraw from biometric-facilitated transactions.