Netflix Settlement Sucks has offiicially filed their objection to the settlement reached between Netflix and a law firm claiming to represent agrieved Netflix customers. The objection has more than 1000 signers-on, and there are other objections being filed as well.
If you’re unfamiliar with the hullabaloo, here’s the skinny: some bonehead named Frank Chavez filed a class-action lawsuit against Netflix for making false claims in its advertising, namely that the rentals were not “unlimited” really (because you can’t get an infinite amount of rentals into a finite 30-day period, I suppose) and because the company’s 1-day delivery wasn’t always 1-day.
The case was settled pending approval by the judge. Under the settlement terms Frank Chavez gets US$2000. The lawyers for the “class” get $2,528,000, and Netflix customers get one free month of “upgraded” service that is automatically continued (for a fee) if users don’t cancel in time. In short, customers get screwed, the lawyers make a mint, and Frank Chavez (whoever he is) is the most hated man in the Netflix community for a lousy $2k. Most folks I know who are Netflix subscribers object to this settlement, not because they themselves aren’t getting anything, but because a company that they like is getting railroaded and they are bearing the cost.
For the full-text of the settlement objection email, click “read more.” If you’re a Netflix customer who also objects to the settlement, go to Netflix Settlement Sucks to find out what you can do.