H&R Block Customer Must Arbitrate Google, Meta Data Theft Claims

An H&R Block customer who says the tax preparation company unlawfully transmitted sensitive tax data to Meta Platforms Inc. and Google LLC must arbitrate his claims against the technology companies because the claims are closely connected to those against H&R Block, a federal judge said.

Customer Justin Hunt alleged the companies engaged in racketeering activity to misrepresent the privacy of users’ tax return information, and that alleged misconduct “could not be more interdependent,” Judge P. Casey Pitts of the US District Court for the Northern District of California said May 24.

Hunt’s proposed class action followed a wave of similar …