Bulgatz v. Aura Home, Inc. d/b/a Aura Frames

Case No. 2025LA0000070
Circuit Court of Lake County, Illinois

Welcome to the Settlement Website for the
Aura Frames BIPA Settlement

A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against Aura Home, Inc. d/b/a Aura Frames claiming that Defendant, Aura Home, Inc. d/b/a Aura Frames, unlawfully possessed, collected, captured, stored, used, and/or otherwise obtained individuals’ biometric identifiers and biometric information – specifically, facial geometry – without obtaining informed written consent or providing or complying with the requisite data retention and destruction policies in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, 740 ILCS 14/1, et seq. (the “BIPA”). The Court did not resolve the claims and defenses raised in this action. Nor has the Court determined that Defendant did anything wrong or that this matter should be certified as a class action except if the Settlement Agreement is fully approved by the Court. Defendant denies all allegations, denies any wrongdoing or liability, and maintains that it complied with the law at all times. Defendant specifically denies that any facial matching data that it allegedly possessed, collected, captured, stored, used, and/or otherwise obtained was capable of identifying any individual and, thus, denies that any such data constituted a “biometric identifier” or “biometric information” under the BIPA. However, the Parties have agreed to the settlement to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the case.

You are included if from July 16, 2019, through November 4, 2025, you signed up for an Aura account within the State of Illinois and had facial matching data from your photographs collected by Defendant. If you do intend to submit a Claim Form as described below, you will need to attest under penalty of perjury that from July 16, 2019, through November 4, 2025, you signed up for an Aura account within the State of Illinois and had facial matching data from your photographs collected by Defendant. You will also need to attest under penalty of perjury that you signed up for an Aura account within the State of Illinois prior to December 7, 2023.

Persons included in the Settlement will be eligible to submit a Claim Form to receive a payment of up to $13.28 by check. Defendant stopped collecting any facial matching data from Aura users, including Illinois users, as of December 7, 2023, and the Settlement also requires Defendant to continue not to collect facial matching data from Illinois Aura users unless it: (a) provides BIPA-compliant notices and obtains BIPA-compliant consents; or (b) BIPA is amended, repealed, invalidated, or otherwise declared unconstitutional.

Your rights are affected whether you act or don’t act. Please read the Notice carefully and completely.

Your Legal Rights and Options in this Settlement

Submit a Claim Form
By: February 2, 2026

Members of the Settlement Class can choose to submit a claim to receive a Settlement Payment. This is the only way to receive a payment.

Exclude Yourself
By: January 16, 2026

You will receive no benefits, but you will not release any claims you may have against Defendant relating to the allegations in this lawsuit, to exercise this option you must follow all the instructions set out in response to FAQ 14.

Object
By: January 16, 2026

Write to the Court explaining why you have an objection to the Settlement Agreement, to exercise this option, you must follow all the instructions set out in response to FAQ 17.

Go to the Hearing on March 12, 2026

Ask to speak in Court about your objection to the Settlement Agreement—to exercise this option, you must follow all the instructions set out in response to FAQ 17 and FAQ 21.

Do Nothing

You will be included in the Settlement Class, but will not receive benefits. You will be bound by the Court's judgment and dismissal, and will release any claims against Defendant and Released Parties relating to the allegations in this case.

Your rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in the Notice and FAQs.

Upcoming Important Dates

Notification Email

12/4/2025

Opt Out Deadline

1/16/2026

Objection Deadline

1/16/2026

Claim Deadline

2/2/2026

Final Approval Hearing

3/12/2026 at 9:00 a.m.