Disney Streaming $2.75 Million Privacy Violations Settlement Explained, Payments & Deadlines

California residents who used Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+ and tried to opt out of data sharing may wonder whether they can receive payment from the $2.75 million Disney Streaming privacy settlement announced on February 11, 2026. The direct answer: this settlement pays civil penalties to the State of California — not to individual consumers. There is no claim form to file and no per-person cash payout. However, the settlement does deliver real, legally enforceable privacy benefits to all affected users, and California residents who believe their data rights were violated can still take meaningful action.

Key Facts Box

What This Lawsuit Is About

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the settlement with The Walt Disney Company, resolving allegations that Disney violated the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) by failing to fully carry out consumers’ requests to opt out of the sale or sharing of their data across all devices and streaming services associated with their Disney accounts.

Disney owns the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ streaming services, collectively known as the Disney Bundle. When a consumer logs into one of these services, Disney collects personal information including device identifiers, device type, IP addresses, and the types of content the user watched and for how long. Disney and its advertising partners used that information to target ads — a practice the CCPA gives California consumers the right to opt out of. The investigation found that Disney’s opt-out tools didn’t actually work the way consumers thought they did.

What Disney Did Wrong: The Three Failures

According to the California Attorney General, the following CCPA violations occurred: Opt-out toggles — consumers who used the opt-out toggle had their request applied only to the specific streaming service and often the specific device being used at the time of the request. Webform — consumers who opted out using a Disney webform had their request applied to the company’s own advertising platform and services, but Disney continued to sell user data to third-party companies with code embedded in its websites and apps. Global Privacy Control — consumers who opted out through Global Privacy Control had their request limited to the specific device the user was using.

A consumer who subscribed to the Disney bundle and accessed streaming content from a computer, tablet, and connected TV would have had to express their opt-out choice up to ten separate times: by using the opt-out toggle on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ on each of three devices (nine separate actions), plus completing the separate webform. The CCPA requires a single, simple opt-out — not ten.

Settlement Amount Breakdown: Where the $2.75 Million Goes

This is where this settlement differs fundamentally from a class action settlement. Here is the complete financial picture:

Total Settlement Fund: $2,750,000

Within 30 days of the settlement effective date, Disney will pay a civil fine of $2,750,000 to the California Attorney General’s office.

• Attorney fees to private attorneys: $0 (this is a government enforcement action; the AG’s office represents the state)
• Administration costs for claims processing: $0 (no consumer claim fund exists)
• Payment to individual consumers: $0
• Amount paid to California state government: $2,750,000

The entire $2.75 million is a civil penalty — similar to a government fine. It goes into state coffers, not to individual Disney subscribers.

Who Benefits From This Settlement (And How)

Even without direct payments, the settlement delivers concrete, enforceable privacy improvements for all California users of Disney streaming services.

You benefit from this settlement if you are a California resident who:

• Uses or has used Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+ on any device
• Ever attempted to opt out of data sale or sharing on any Disney platform
• Used the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal on a Disney platform
• Used a connected TV app (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, etc.) to access Disney streaming services

What Disney must now do for all users:

Disney will implement an “easy to execute” process for consumers to opt out of the sale or sharing of their personal data with minimal steps required. For users who are logged into a Disney streaming service or app, the opt-out request will automatically apply across all Disney streaming services associated with that account, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

Disney must also provide the Attorney General with progress updates every 60 days until all Disney services reach full compliance, and report annually on the effectiveness of its opt-out methods for a period of three years.

Who Is NOT Eligible for a Cash Payment

Be aware of several common misunderstandings about this settlement:

No one receives a direct cash payment. This is not a class action lawsuit. The $2.75 million is a government penalty, not a settlement fund distributed to subscribers.

This settlement does not cover: residents of states other than California (though the improved opt-out tools will apply across Disney’s platforms nationwide); claims related to data breaches, hacking, or identity theft; or violations of federal privacy laws such as COPPA.

Do not file with any third-party “claim” websites that may suggest you can receive a cash payout from this settlement. No such mechanism exists. The only official source of information about this settlement is the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov.

How to Exercise Your Privacy Rights Right Now

Even without a cash claim, California residents have real, enforceable actions they can take today.

Step 1: Submit a single opt-out request on Disney’s updated platform. Under the terms of the settlement, Disney must implement a comprehensive account-wide opt-out that covers all services and devices simultaneously. Log into your Disney account and locate the privacy opt-out option.

Step 2: Enable Global Privacy Control (GPC) in your browser. Browsers such as Firefox and extensions like Privacy Badger support GPC signals. Disney is now required to honor these signals as a full, account-wide opt-out request.

Step 3: File a complaint with the California Attorney General if you believe Disney is still not honoring your opt-out requests after the settlement’s compliance deadlines pass. Report violations at oag.ca.gov/report.

Step 4: Monitor Disney’s compliance updates. Disney will continue to provide updates to the California Attorney General every 60 days until all Disney streaming services meet the compliance requirements outlined in the settlement agreement.

What You Must Know

On taxes: Because there is no consumer payment under this settlement, there is no tax consideration for individual claimants.

On opt-out consequences: Exercising your right to opt out of data sale and sharing does not affect your ability to use Disney streaming services. Your subscription continues normally.

On Disney’s admission: Disney does not admit liability, however agreed to settle in order to avoid further litigation.

On future enforcement: Disney must update California within 60 days of measures it has taken to comply with the CCPA. After its initial update, Disney will be mandated to provide additional progress reports every 60 days until all services comply with CCPA requirements. This gives California the ongoing authority to enforce compliance.

On other streamers: Other streaming services are currently under investigation, meaning similar settlements may follow involving Netflix, Paramount+, and others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much money will I get from the Disney streaming settlement? A: Nothing directly. The $2.75 million is a civil penalty paid to the State of California. There is no consumer claim fund and no per-person payment in this settlement.

Q: Is there a claim form I need to fill out? A: No. A claim form is not required to receive the injunctive relief the settlement provides. The benefit to consumers is improved privacy controls, not cash.

Q: What privacy violations does this settlement cover? A: Disney did not sufficiently comply with consumer opt-out rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and, in doing so, also violated California’s Unfair Competition Law. Specifically, it covers Disney’s failure to honor opt-out requests across all devices and streaming services.

Q: Which Disney streaming services are included? A: The settlement covers Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ streaming services, each of which requires consumers to maintain an account and log in before accessing content. It applies to these services accessed via phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, and streaming devices.

Q: Can I still file if I already canceled my Disney subscription? A: There is no claim to file. However, if you are a California resident who had a Disney streaming account during the period covered by the investigation (beginning approximately January 2024), the compliance improvements and your ongoing CCPA rights still apply to you if you resubscribe or had data collected during the covered period.

Q: When will I see changes to Disney’s opt-out process? A: Disney has 90 days from February 11, 2026, to implement initial opt-out changes. Within 180 days of the settlement, Disney will “implement and maintain” a plan of action that will monitor opt-out compliance. The opt-out compliance monitoring program will stay in effect for at least three years after the start date.

Q: Do I need to be a California resident to benefit? A: The CCPA applies to California residents. However, the technical changes Disney implements will likely improve opt-out functionality for all users, regardless of state, since Disney operates a single platform infrastructure. Only California residents have legal standing under the CCPA.

Q: Is this related to the FTC fine Disney received? A: These are separate matters. The enforcement action is the second against Disney in five months. In September, the Federal Trade Commission fined Disney $10 million for child privacy violations. The CCPA settlement covers adult data opt-out failures; the FTC action addressed children’s data.

Q: How do I report it if Disney is still not honoring my opt-out? A: Submit a complaint directly to the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report. Under the settlement, the AG’s office has ongoing monitoring authority and Disney must report on compliance for three years.

Q: What is the case number if I want to look up the court documents? A: The case is People of the State of California v. Disney DTC, LLC, Case No. 26STCV04425, filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, County of Los Angeles, on February 11, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Settlement terms, eligibility, and payment amounts are subject to court approval and may change. For official information, always refer to the settlement administrator or the official settlement website.

Last Updated: February 17, 2026

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.
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