LA Times 3.85 Million Settlement Over Alleged Nonconsensual Website Tracking in CA

The class action *Mirmalek v. Los Angeles Times Communications, LLC* centers on a common feature of modern digital publishing: behind-the-scenes advertising and analytics tools that can “tag” a visitor’s browser or app session to measure readership, target ads, and share data with ad-tech partners. The plaintiff alleges that, for people accessing LATimes.com or the LA Times mobile app while in California between January 31, 2023 and December 19, 2025, the LA Times deployed three specific trackers—TripleLift, GumGum, and Audiencerate—without obtaining proper consent. The case matters because these technologies sit at the intersection of journalism, advertising revenue, and consumer privacy, and because even casual readers (not just paying subscribers) can be swept into data-collection practices. The lawsuit was filed under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), particularly provisions that prohibit installing or using certain software or tracking mechanisms on a person’s device to collect information without knowledge or consent. While the LA Times denies wrongdoing, the parties agreed to a $3.85 million settlement to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation; eligible Californians can submit claims without providing proof of website visits, and payments will be divided on a pro rata basis after fees and administrative costs. Beyond compensation, the significance is the pressure it places on publishers to ensure that cookie banners, opt-in/opt-out tools, and vendor disclosures actually match what runs on their sites and apps. More broadly, this settlement fits into a growing wave of privacy class actions targeting website “session replay,” pixels, and third-party ad-tech tags, especially in California where plaintiffs frequently invoke CIPA alongside other privacy frameworks like the CCPA/CPRA that require clearer notice and stronger consumer controls over data sharing. As the digital advertising industry continues to adjust to tighter browser restrictions, shifting identifiers, and heightened regulatory scrutiny, cases like this signal that using third-party trackers without robust, documented consent can create significant litigation risk for media companies and other consumer-facing websites operating at scale