Meta sued in Australia over alleged social media addiction among children

Social media giant Meta and its platforms Facebook and Instagram are facing a class-action lawsuit in Australia over claims that addictive design features are harming children and teenagers.

The suit was primarily filed in the Federal Court on behalf of eight applicants seeking financial redress for Facebook and Instagram users who were exposed to problematic social media use, according to a statement by law firm Minter Ellison and Litigation Lending Services.

On Monday, the Federal Court in Sydney issued a secrecy order stopping the publication of details about the claim and the names of the claimants, court documents show.

A statement from Meta spokesperson reads: “We are aware of this claim, and we will defend ourselves vigorously.”

According to Litigation Lending Services, it is funding the class action for Australian families who otherwise would have no viable recourse for pursuing these claims against a global technology giant.

In this connection, Minter Ellinson partner William Nolan stated in a statement: “ This proceeding raises important questions about the design and operation of social media platforms and their impact on children and teenagers in Australia.”

Separately, a US judge in New Mexico also ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury ruled that the corporation deceived users regarding a massive data breach to Facebook users’ data linked to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. In addition, Meta said it would appeal the ruling contending that the judgment subverted constitutional protections and imposed excessive penalties.