CEOAFRICA.com gathered that prominent social media network site, Facebook will pay a total sum of $15 each to 614,000 users whose personal details appeared in ads on the site without their permission.

It was also gathered that Privacy organisations will also receive some of the $20m settlement.

The famous American-based Social media network site was sued in 2011 by five of its users, who said their details was used to promote products and services through the site’s Sponsored Stories programme, without paying them or giving them the choice to opt-out.

A statement credited to Facebook said it was pleased that the settlement had been approved.

However, only those who responded to an email from the site earlier this year will be compensated.

Sponsored Story is a tailored advertisement that appears on members’Facebook pages, highlighting products a user’s friends have endorsed or “liked” on the site.