(NEXSTAR) – Facebook users and ex-Facebook users still have time to file a claim in the $725 million settlement the social media company has agreed to pay eligible Americans. But in order to do so, people will need one hidden piece of information: a Facebook username.
Filling out a claim is quick and easy, especially if you do it online, and most of the questions on the form won’t trip you up (name, address, etc.) – until you get toward the bottom, and need to enter your Facebook username.
Unlike on other social media platforms, like Instagram or Twitter, your Facebook username isn’t obvious right off the bat. You’ll need to dig for it a bit on your profile.
The first and easiest way is by going to your Facebook profile on a web browser. When looking at your profile, check out the URL at the top of the page. It should read something like “facebook.com/jdoe.” In this (fake) person’s case, jdoe would be the username.
Another way to find it is in your Facebook settings, but this will take a few more steps. On desktop, you’ll need to click: “Account,” then “Settings and Privacy,” then “Settings.” Some users will just need to click just one more step, “Username,” to reveal their username.
But if you have more than one Meta account (like an Instagram profile), you’ll be taken to a different settings page called Meta Accounts Center, and you’ll need to hit a few more buttons. On the left side of the page, you should see the option to click “See more in Accounts Center.” Then you’ll click “Profiles,” “Select your Facebook profile,” and finally “Username.”
If you’re using Facebook’s mobile app, these are the steps you’ll need to tap: “Menu,” then tap your display name at the top of the screen, then tap the “…” next to “Edit Profile.” Your username appears under “Your profile link” at the end of the URL. (If you’re pushed into the Meta Accounts Center on the mobile, follow the steps from the paragraph above.)
Now here’s where things get even more complicated: What if you don’t have a username? There are some Facebook users who do not have a username, the settlement administrator says.
If you followed the steps and verified you don’t have a username, you’ll just need to provide the contact info (phone number and email address) associated with your account. (More details on how to find that can be found here.)
For most people, finding the username will be quick and easy, and you’ll be one step closer to receiving a piece of the $725 million fund.
After the claim deadline on Aug. 25, there is still a final settlement hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 7, 2023, at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. Assuming the final deal is approved, the payments will be sent out at an undetermined time after the hearing.