Meta sued in Australian class action over alleged social media harm to children

An Australian court has initiated a class-action lawsuit against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, accusing the social media platforms of exposing children to harmful content and keeping them addicted through algorithms. The lawsuit, filed by MinterEllison law firm on behalf of eight plaintiffs under the age of 18, seeks compensation for the alleged harm caused to the plaintiffs while they were minors.

The plaintiffs' identities and the statement of claim are protected under a suppression order issued by the court. Meta has stated that they are aware of the claim and intend to defend themselves vigorously. The lawsuit arrives amidst increasing tension between Australia and major tech companies, following a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 and proposed regulations that would allow users to disable algorithm-driven content.

In August, Meta agreed to pay $18 billion to settle with nearly all US states over claims that its social media platforms were designed to addict children.