Valnet, the media company behind numerous popular websites including ScreenRant, TheGamer, and Collider, has agreed to a $2 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit. The suit, originally filed by former Valnet freelancer Daniel Quintiliano, accused the company of misclassifying content creators as independent contractors instead of employees, thereby denying them proper pay and benefits.
Quintiliano alleged that Valnet failed to compensate writers for overtime, business expenses, and in some instances, did not meet minimum wage requirements. The settlement announcement, available on the dedicated settlement website, states that both parties view the agreement as a compromise of disputed claims, with Valnet not admitting any wrongdoing or conceding the merit of the allegations.
The $2 million fund is designated for contractors who contributed to written articles, edited content, or video production for Valnet's websites between December 2019 and August 2026. Eligibility requires contractors to have provided a California home address during their classification as an independent contractor for any of Valnet's platforms. The settlement has received preliminary approval from the court, with a final approval hearing scheduled for February, after which payments will be distributed.
Valnet has been building its portfolio of digital media brands since 2016, starting with the acquisition of Comic Book Resources. Its subsequent acquisitions included prominent sites like Collider and Polygon. The acquisition of Polygon was reportedly valued at nearly $20 million, a move that led to significant changes in the publication's staffing, with much of its current content being produced by freelancers. This follows recent rounds of layoffs and editorial departures at other Valnet-owned properties, such as TheGamer.