Jugendschutz: Milliardenvergleich bringt Meta weltweit unter Zugzwang

Meta, the company founded by Mark Zuckerberg, has agreed to a settlement with nearly all US states to avoid a lawsuit over the alleged addictive nature of its platforms. This move highlights that the corporation could potentially protect young people from such features, but deliberately chooses not to, according to Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells.

Australia was the first country to introduce a minimum age for social media, and a law firm in the country is now investigating a potential class action lawsuit against Meta. The company faces a total liability of up to 18 billion dollars over the next decade and commits to extensive changes, including a default two-hour daily usage limit for users under 18 and a nighttime access block.

Meta denied any wrongdoing in the settlement. The EU Commission is also pursuing a case against Meta following its own investigation, which concluded in May 2024 that the company violated the Digital Services Act (DSA). Polish Digital Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski called on the commission to impose a 250 million euro fine on Meta.

Global reactions to the settlement include optimism from the Philippines' Minister, Henry Aguda, who hopes it will bolster his talks with the corporation. South Korea's media oversight requested that Meta's promised measures for young users apply globally. However, Australia's ban on social media for under 16-year-olds remains patchily enforced, as studies show that 80 percent of minors remain active on the platforms months after the law took effect.

Legal specialists Shine Lawyers, which specializes in class actions, said they are now examining whether Australian families have legal claims related to the platform's design. Craig Allsopp, head of the firm's class actions division, said, "If Australian families are affected, they deserve answers." In the US, social media providers face thousands of lawsuits from individuals, school districts, and authorities.