129 million?
I can't believe that all those people signed up to the class action; that is, positively confirmed that the felt that they had been wronged and wished to instruct lawyers to sue.
So the "on behalf of" numbers are a con to try and bump up the severity of the case and the fees. If the CA required agrieved users to sign up then you would see a much smaller settlement. Even if 100,000 users signed up and their loss was calculated at $10 each then that would only be a million dollars.
The courts obviously know the numbers are false which is why the damages are trivival per capita.
As I understand it class action suits are there to allow a number of people with a common grievance to combine resources and risk so they can afford to sue a very rich opponent. This doesn't seem to be what is happening. Instead law firms seem to be picking up likely looking cases "pro bono" with the assumption that they will win enough over time to cover any losses. Noting that "pro bono" is a shortened version of "pro bono publico" and there is no obvious benefit to the public. Could be "no win no fee" of course.
Why not have a crowd funding model where everyone has to sign up and put some money in? Assume that you pledge $100 which you get back plus damages if you win. This would produce a list of complainants with skin in the game and a clear target for the award of costs and damages. I presume the class action is for the benefit of the defendant who can cut a deal and also be immune to further law suits from other agrieved parties. However if the crowd fund scheme is advertised enough then it might be assumed that other interested parties have declined to act. $100 might exclude some from participation; with enough take up the subscription could be lowered after the first 10,000 with original subscribers having the option of some money back or a larger share of the pot.
Whatever, the current system just seems to be a cosy way for lawyers to keep themselves productive for the benefit of their mates and the public get nothing. Typical bloody lawyers.