AMBER DUICK, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC., et al., Defendants and Appellants.

Oct 01, 2011

OUTCOME: Settlement

Duick’s claims arise from her unwitting participation in an internet-based advertising campaign launched by defendants in connection with Toyota’s Matrix  automobile.  The campaign, known as “Your Oth ... er You,” “consisted of sending an  unwitting recipient emails from an unknown individual.”  During the campaign, any visitor to the Toyota Matrix web site (“player 1”) could designate another person (“player  2”) for participation in the Your Other You “interactive experience.”  Player 2 would  then receive an email purportedly from player 1, inviting player 2 to click a hyperlink that was in some manner “identified with Toyota.”  The link would direct player 2 to a web  page entitled “Personality Evaluation,” which displayed a drawing of a door with the  word “Begin” underneath.  Clicking on the door would direct player 2 to a second web page entitled “Personality Evaluation Terms and Conditions.”  In order to continue  beyond that page, according to evidence introduced by defendants, player 2 was required to scroll through certain text (the “terms and conditions”) and, at the end of that text, click a box next to the following sentence:  “I have read and agree to the terms and  conditions.”