A federal judge, William Orrick, has denied Meta’s second attempt to dismiss a consolidated class action lawsuit alleging the improper collection of patient data through its Pixel tracking tool. This ruling marks the continuation of a legal battle that began in June 2022, consolidating numerous class action lawsuits against the tech giant. Despite Meta’s efforts to argue against privacy violation claims, the judge emphasized the strength of plaintiffs’ allegations, particularly regarding the tracking and logging of sensitive health information without proper consent.
This isn’t the first time Judge Orrick has ruled against Meta’s attempts to dismiss the case, indicating a persistent legal challenge for the tech company. The plaintiffs’ ability to strengthen their privacy assertions, including identifying specific health information shared with healthcare providers, played a crucial role in allowing the case to proceed. Meta’s arguments, such as the information being about general browsing and communication on public websites, were countered by the judge’s assertion that plaintiffs had provided sufficient details to support their claims.
As the case heads towards a jury trial scheduled for December 1, 2025, it adds to the growing controversies surrounding the privacy implications of web trackers, especially in the healthcare sector. Meta’s legal battle is part of a broader trend, with healthcare organizations facing similar class action lawsuits related to online trackers on their websites and patient portals. The outcome of this case may have far-reaching implications for how tech companies handle user data and the extent to which privacy concerns are addressed in the evolving digital landscape.
