Meta sued in Australian class-action lawsuit over alleged social media harm to children
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The lawsuit in Australia comes after Meta paid billions to settle a claim raised by US states that it designed social media to addict children.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Meta faces an Australia class action over Facebook and Instagram, with eight plaintiffs claiming the platforms harmed them as children through harmful content and addictive algorithms.
- The case, filed in the Federal Court by MinterEllison, could be Australia’s first to blame social media for harm to users, especially children and teenagers.
- The lawsuit comes as Australia tightens rules on Big Tech, after a world-first under-16 social media ban and new proposed controls on algorithm-driven feeds.
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SYDNEY – A class-action lawsuit has been filed in an Australian court against Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram, alleging the social media platforms exposed children to harmful content and kept them addicted through algorithms.
The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court, Australia’s second-highest, by law firm MinterEllison in October, could be the first in Australia to blame social media for harming its users, particularly children and teenagers.
The class-action suit has been filed on behalf of eight plaintiffs, who allege they were harmed by Meta while they were under the age of 18, and are seeking compensation.
“We are aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously,” a Meta spokesperson said by e-mail.
In a suppression order on Oct 19, the court prohibited the reporting of any information which could reveal the identity of the applicants and the statement of claims.
The lawsuit comes amid rising tensions between Australia and big tech after a world-first ban on social media for children under 16, and newly proposed rules that could let users switch off algorithm-driven content on their feeds.
Meta in August agreed to pay US$18 billion (S$23 billion) to settle with nearly all US states to resolve claims that it designed social media to addict children. REUTERS