Meta faces Australia lawsuit over child harm allegations

Meta and its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram are facing a class action lawsuit in Australia that alleges addictive design features are harming children and teenagers, with the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday issuing a suppression order blocking publication of claim details and applicant identities, court documents show. The suit filed on behalf of eight applicants seeks to recover compensation for users who were exposed to harmful content or developed an addiction to social media, law firm Minter Ellison and Litigation Lending said in a statement.

Legal questions raised

"This proceeding raises important questions about the design and operation of social media platforms and their impact on children and teenagers in Australia," Minter Ellison partner William Nolan said in a statement. Litigation Lending Services noted that it was funding the class action for Australian families who would have no practical means of pursuing claims against a global technology giant without external support.

Platform design claims

The case centers on allegations that Meta deliberately engineered addictive features into Facebook and Instagram to hook young users, echoing claims made in previous litigation overseas. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to US$17.7 billion in the United States to settle claims that it deliberately engineered its platforms to hook young users.

Meta defense

"We are aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. The company did not provide further details on its legal strategy regarding the Australian proceedings.