Suit settled over 'Robots' text messages

CHICAGO — A $16 million settlement was filed in a class-action lawsuit relating to the alleged transmission of an unsolicited text message ad to consumer mobile phones nationwide.

The settlement, preliminarily approved Nov. 17, by a U.S. District Court in Chicago, establishes a fund, in which payments of up to $200 will be made to each cell phone user who received the Robots text message.

The lawsuit was brought against the producer and distributor of the motion picture, Robots, alleged that the text-message advertisement, in which the Robots distributor retained a third party marketing firm to promote the DVD release, had violated a provision of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, according to lawyers with Edelson McGuire LLC.

The defendants Twentieth Century Fox and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC, doing business as FoxStore.com have denied the advertisement violated any laws or was in any way improper or harmful to consumers.

Edelson McGuire in Chicago, a firm that regularly handles consumer technology class actions, were appointed by the court to serve as attorneys for the class.

“This settlement is an excellent result for the class members who received the Robots message and for cell phone users throughout the nation,” said Ryan D. Andrews, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs.

Those who received the Robots message are encouraged to visit www.LozanoTextSettlement.com to learn more details about the settlement and how to apply for a settlement payment. Class members may also call the settlement administrator at (877) 695-7495 or Edelson McGuire (866) 354-3015 for more information.