U.S. TED account holders who watched prerecorded videos on TED's website or mobile apps may receive two free months of TED Membership under a proposed video privacy settlement. Those who prefer money can instead file a claim for $5, although the cash payment may be reduced if valid claims exceed the available fund.
The automatic membership route requires activation but no claim form. A cash or donation election must be submitted by October 26, 2026, and choosing either one replaces the membership benefit.
Eligibility turns on both an account and video viewing
The class covers people in the United States who held a TED account and watched a prerecorded video on ted.com or TED's iOS or Android app between October 19, 2021, and July 14, 2026. Merely visiting TED without an account, or having an account without watching a covered video during that period, does not satisfy the class definition stated in the notice.
The lawsuit alleges that TED disclosed personally identifiable viewing information to third-party service providers without informed written consent, in violation of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act. The notice identifies Open Web, Mixpanel and Leanplum in describing the challenged data practices.
TED denies wrongful conduct and denies violating any law. The court has not decided which side is right, and the settlement is a compromise rather than an admission of liability.
Doing nothing preserves the membership option
Class members are eligible to receive two free months of TED Membership, which the notice estimates is worth at least $10. The benefit is automatic in the sense that no claim form is required, but recipients still must agree to activate it after receiving the activation link.
The link is expected to be distributed 60 days after final approval and the completion of any appeals. The final timetable therefore depends on court approval and cannot be determined from the printed hearing date alone.
This default benefit is distinct from the settlement's cash fund. A person who activates the membership does not also receive $5, and anyone who elects cash or a donation gives up the membership benefit.
A $5 cash claim is subject to a $350,000 ceiling
Class members may submit a claim for a $5 payment instead of membership. TED will make up to $350,000 available for valid cash claims. If the total requested exceeds that cap, each payment will be reduced proportionally, so $5 is the stated amount rather than a guaranteed final check.
Approved cash payments will be issued by check unless the claimant selects PayPal or Venmo. Checks become void 180 days after issuance. The notice says payments are planned for 60 days after the settlement becomes final and any appeal process ends.
No supporting documents are specified for the cash election, but the administrator must approve the claim. Forms may be filed online at tedvppasettlement.com or mailed, and must be submitted by October 26, 2026.
The donation election still binds the class member
The claim form also allows a class member to direct the cash amount back to TED Foundation Inc. as a donation. This is not the same as opting out. Someone who chooses donation remains in the class, releases the covered claims and does not receive the membership benefit.
The notice encourages people considering this option to consult a tax adviser about whether the donation is deductible. It does not promise a tax result.
Separate from individual benefits, TED agreed to present U.S. account holders with an affirmative-consent option before transmitting certain event data to Open Web. TED also agreed to stop transmitting U.S. account holders' first and last names or email addresses to Mixpanel, to use reasonable efforts to discontinue existing storage of that data there, and stated that it no longer uses Leanplum.
All three legal-choice deadlines fall on October 26
Cash and donation claims are due October 26, 2026. Exclusion requests must also be mailed or otherwise delivered to the administrator by that date. A person who opts out receives neither membership nor cash but retains the right to pursue the released claims separately, subject to ordinary legal limits.
Objections must be filed with the court, with copies sent to counsel, and postmarked by October 26. Objecting keeps a person in the class; exclusion removes that person and eliminates settlement benefits.
The final approval hearing is scheduled for November 12, 2026, at 3 p.m. in Courtroom 905 of the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse in New York. The notice does not state a timezone and warns that the hearing may be postponed. Current information should be confirmed on the official settlement website.