New England Patriots Reach $2.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Privacy Violations in App Use

The New England Patriots have agreed to a $2.16 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit alleging the team improperly shared app users’ personal data, including video viewing history and location, without consent. The settlement, which received preliminary approval from a Boston federal court, stems from claims that the team’s mobile app used tools from Google (Anvato API) and Rover to track and report user activity.

Lead plaintiff Anthony Serra filed the suit in February 2024 under the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), a federal law that prohibits disclosing personally identifiable video consumption data without written consent. While the Patriots deny any wrongdoing, they agreed to stop using the tools in question to transmit users’ precise location data and to fund a $2.16 million settlement for impacted app users.

If the court gives final approval, eligible claimants could receive around $120 each, assuming a 10% claim rate among the 105,000 estimated class members. The final hearing is set for October 9, 2025, before Judge Margaret R. Guzman.

The VPPA, originally enacted in 1988 to protect video rental privacy, has expanded to include digital and streaming platforms. Tools like Anvato and Rover allegedly enabled detailed tracking and ad targeting through the Patriots’ app, raising questions about transparency and consent in mobile app data collection practices.