ASHLEY MADISON SUIT SETTLED
A federal judge in St. Louis on Friday approved a US$11.2-million settlement between the Canadian-owned marital infidelity website Ashley Madison and users who sued after hackers released personal information, including financial data and details of their sexual proclivities. U.S. District Judge John Ross gave preliminary approval to a class-action settlement initially announced last week by Toronto-based Ruby Corp., the parent company of Ashley Madison. A final approval hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20. The lawsuits were filed after hackers outed millions of people who used the website two years ago. The suits said Ashley Madison misled consumers about its security measures and safeguards. Ashley Madison is marketed to people seeking extramarital relationships. Its slogan is, “Life is short. Have an affair.” At one time, it purported to have about 39 million members.