Crunchyroll Class Action Lawsuit 2026 VPPA Claim & $16M Settlement

A new class action lawsuit was filed against Crunchyroll on March 5, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging the anime streaming service knowingly shared subscribers’ private viewing data with a third-party marketing company called Braze — without user consent — in violation of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act.

The lawsuit seeks $2,500 per VPPA violation per class member, plus punitive damages. This follows a prior $16 million settlement in 2023 that paid approximately $30 per affected user for nearly identical conduct involving the Facebook Pixel tracking tool. The 2023 settlement claim deadline has passed. The 2026 lawsuit is in active litigation — no settlement has been reached and no claim form is currently available.

Quick Facts — 2026 New Lawsuit

Lawsuit Type: Proposed class action — no class certified yet
Defendant: Crunchyroll, LLC
Case Name & Number: Cabonios v. Crunchyroll, LLC, Case No. 2:26-cv-02373
Court: U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Date Filed: March 5, 2026
Law Alleged to Be Violated: Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), 18 U.S.C. § 2710
Third Party Involved: Braze (marketing software company)
Data Allegedly Shared: Email addresses, device IDs, anime titles and specific episodes watched
Potential Damages: $2,500 per VPPA violation per class member, plus punitive damages
Who May Be Affected: All U.S. Crunchyroll subscribers whose viewing data was shared with Braze since approximately 2022
Estimated Affected Users: Over 17 million subscribers and 130 million registered accounts
Settlement Amount: None — TBD
Claim Deadline: Not yet established — TBD

Quick Facts — Prior 2023 Settlement (Deadline Passed)

Case Name: Beltran v. Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. d/b/a Crunchyroll
Settlement Amount: $16,000,000
Per-Person Payment: Approximately $30 per eligible claimant
Claim Deadline: December 12, 2023 — CLOSED. No new claims accepted.
Who Was Covered: U.S. registered Crunchyroll users who viewed videos between September 8, 2020 and September 20, 2023
Settlement Administrator: Kroll Settlement Administration
Prior Settlement Website: crvppasettlement.com (historical reference only)

Current Status & What Happens Next

Crunchyroll has not yet responded publicly to the 2026 allegations as of the filing date of March 5, 2026. Under federal court rules, the defendant typically has 21 days after service to file an answer or motion to dismiss.
No class has been certified in the new case. The court must formally certify a class before any collective recovery or settlement can proceed.
If history is a guide, a settlement is likely rather than a full trial. The 2023 settlement paid approximately $30 per affected user — demonstrating how statutory math is often moderated by negotiation, attorney fees, and class administration costs.
While this would run into the billions if Crunchyroll were found guilty at the statutory maximum, settlements are often reached for much less.
No trial date has been set. VPPA class actions of this scale typically take one to three years to resolve.
No claim form is available yet. This page will be updated the moment a settlement is announced or a claim process opens.

What the 2026 Lawsuit Alleges

The Braze Data Sharing Allegation

The complaint alleges that Crunchyroll’s app included an embedded software development kit from marketing company Braze that transmitted user information to that third party without subscriber consent.

The plaintiffs state that the information transmitted enables Braze — and any of its clients or partners — to identify exactly what video content each specific Crunchyroll subscriber is watching. Over time, through repeated transmissions during multiple viewing sessions, the app facilitates the building of comprehensive profiles of each user’s viewing behavior.

Why This Is Particularly Sensitive

Plaintiffs say the immediate harm falls on subscribers whose personally identifiable information was allegedly transmitted — listing email addresses, device IDs, and the names of anime titles and specific episodes as the types of data exposed. The complaint argues those details can reveal deeply private viewing preferences, including titles with graphic or sexualized content, which many users would not want linked to their identities.

Crunchyroll Class Action Lawsuit 2026, New VPPA Privacy Suit Filed And What Happened to the $16M Settlement

The “Repeat Offender” Argument

The 2026 lawsuit carries extra legal weight because of what happened in 2023. Plaintiffs characterize the conduct as particularly egregious because Crunchyroll settled a prior privacy class action in 2023 over similar VPPA violations — and plaintiffs argue that prior outcome should have prompted policy and technical changes that were clearly not put in place.

The complaint points to the prior case and argues that the 2023 settlement should have prompted complete policy overhauls and stricter safeguards. Instead, the company allegedly repeated the exact same conduct beginning in 2022.

What Is the VPPA?

The Video Privacy Protection Act is a federal law passed in 1988 — originally to stop video rental stores from disclosing customers’ viewing histories. Courts have consistently held that the law applies fully to modern streaming platforms. Under the VPPA, companies cannot share a subscriber’s personally identifiable information — including what specific videos they watch — with any third party without that person’s separate, informed written consent. Violations carry $2,500 in statutory damages per violation, plus attorneys’ fees — with no requirement for the consumer to prove actual financial harm.

Who Could Be Included in the 2026 Lawsuit

You may be a potential class member in the new lawsuit if you:

Are a U.S. Crunchyroll subscriber with an active or former account
Used the Crunchyroll app to stream content at any point since approximately 2022
Your email address, device ID, and viewing history may have been transmitted to Braze without your explicit, separate written consent

The affected user base is potentially enormous — Crunchyroll has over 17 million subscribers and 130 million registered accounts. If the class is certified at even a fraction of that number, the aggregate statutory exposure at $2,500 per violation could be staggering — though real-world settlements typically resolve for a fraction of statutory maximums.

The Prior $16M Settlement — What Happened and Is It Still Open?

The 2023 settlement claim deadline has permanently passed. No new claims are being accepted.

For historical reference: Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll reached a $16 million nationwide video privacy class action settlement to resolve claims they shared subscribers’ personal information with third-party companies including Facebook, Google, Adobe, and others without consent. The settlement class covered registered users of any website, mobile app, or video-on-demand service owned or controlled by Crunchyroll who viewed videos between September 8, 2020 and September 20, 2023.

Class members were eligible to receive a pro rata portion of the settlement fund, which Class Counsel anticipated to be approximately $30 per affected member. The claim form deadline was December 12, 2023, and claims were submitted online at crvppasettlement.com.

If you submitted a valid claim before December 12, 2023, contact Kroll Settlement Administration for the status of your payment.

Prior Cases & Broader Legal Context

The Crunchyroll case sits within a sweeping national wave of VPPA litigation targeting streaming platforms, news publishers, and apps that embed third-party tracking tools without proper subscriber consent.

The Lee Enterprises VPPA lawsuit — which resulted in a $9.5 million settlement paying approximately $41 per claimant — followed the same legal blueprint: a company embedded tracking pixels that transmitted subscribers’ video viewing data and Facebook IDs to third parties without the separate written consent required by federal law. That settlement’s claim deadline has also passed, but the case illustrates exactly how courts evaluate VPPA violations and how damages are ultimately distributed to consumers.

Similarly, the Samsung smart TV VPPA class action alleges that Samsung’s automatic content recognition technology tracked precisely what millions of subscribers watched and sold that data — without consent — to advertisers. That case, still in active litigation, demonstrates that VPPA enforcement is accelerating across every platform and device on which Americans consume video content.

The common thread across all these cases is consistent: privacy policies alone are not sufficient — the VPPA requires separate, informed, written consent for sharing video viewing data. Companies cannot simply bury consent provisions in general terms of service.

FAQs

Is there a Crunchyroll claim form I can file right now?

No. There is no open claim form for the 2026 lawsuit. The case was filed on March 5, 2026, and is in early litigation. A claims process will only open if and when a settlement is reached and approved by the court. This page will be updated immediately when that happens.

Can I still file a claim for the $16 million 2023 settlement?

No. The claim form deadline for the 2023 settlement was December 12, 2023. That deadline has permanently passed and no new claims are being accepted for that settlement.

What data does the new lawsuit allege was shared?

The complaint identifies email addresses, device IDs, and the names of specific anime titles and episodes watched as the types of personally identifiable information allegedly transmitted to Braze without user consent.

Who is Braze and why does it matter?

Braze is a customer engagement and marketing software company. By embedding Braze’s software development kit in its app, Crunchyroll allegedly gave Braze — and its clients and partners — the ability to identify exactly what content each individual subscriber was watching and build detailed behavioral profiles over time. The VPPA prohibits this type of disclosure without separate written consent.

How much could I receive if there is a settlement?

There is no settlement yet. While statutory damages under VPPA are $2,500 per violation — which could reach billions given Crunchyroll’s user base — settlements are often reached for much less, as demonstrated when Crunchyroll settled for ~$30 per affected member in 2023. The final per-person amount in any future settlement will depend on the size of the class and the negotiated fund.

Does this lawsuit affect free Crunchyroll accounts?

The VPPA covers “subscribers” — a term courts have interpreted broadly. Even free-tier or trial accounts may qualify depending on how the court defines the class. The complaint’s reference to the full 130 million registered account base suggests the plaintiffs intend to argue broadly. This will be clarified at the class certification stage.

What should I do right now if I’m a Crunchyroll subscriber?

Do not delete any Crunchyroll account activity, emails, or subscription records. Monitor this page for updates on the case. If you used Crunchyroll since 2022 and are concerned about your privacy rights, consult a consumer privacy attorney to understand your options. No action is required to potentially join a class — class members are typically included automatically unless they opt out.

Has Crunchyroll admitted any wrongdoing?

Crunchyroll has not yet responded publicly to the 2026 allegations. In the prior 2023 case, Crunchyroll denied that it violated any law but agreed to the settlement to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the case.

Last Updated: March 9, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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Crunchyroll Class Action Lawsuit 2026, New VPPA Privacy Suit Filed And What Happened to the $16M Settlement