The legal assault on Meta is gathering momentum, with Australian law firm MinterEllison launching a class action alleging that Facebook and Instagram deliberately exposed children to addictive features and harmful content.
The Australian proceedings follow extraordinary developments in the United States, where Meta was recently hit with a US$25 billion judgment in New Mexico over consumer deception involving Facebook user data. The company has indicated it will appeal.
In a separate child-safety case, a New Mexico court imposed US$942 million in financial penalties and remedies, while Meta also agreed to a multistate settlement potentially worth US$17.1 billion over allegations involving addictive platform design and harm to young users.
Now MinterEllison is bringing that legal battle to Australia, testing whether social media companies can be held financially accountable for the psychological harm allegedly inflicted on children through their platforms.
MinterEllison’s media release regarding the legal action is below –
Protecting our children and holding Meta to account: landmark class action targets Meta and Facebook over addictive and harmful social media platforms
A class action has been filed in the Federal Court of Australia against Meta Platforms, Inc. and its related entities on behalf of children and teenagers who have suffered harm as a result of addictive design features and exposure to harmful content on Facebook and Instagram while they were under the age of 18.
The class action, filed by MinterEllison and funded by Litigation Lending Services, seeks to recover compensation for both current and former users of Facebook and Instagram who were exposed to harmful content or developed an addiction to social media as a result of their use of those platforms.
Litigation Lending Services Chairman, Shaun Bonétt (pictured) said:
“Litigation Lending Services is proud to support this landmark class action. The protection of children from harm is a matter of the highest public importance, and the questions raised in this proceeding about the design and operation of some of the world’s most widely used social media platforms deserve to be properly tested before the Court. This class action is an important step towards ensuring that one of the world’s most powerful technology companies is held to account for conduct alleged to have caused widespread harm to children.”
Litigation Lending Services Chief Investment Officer, Emma Colantonio said:
“Without class actions and litigation funding, Australian families would have no practical means of pursuing these claims against a global technology giant. Litigation Lending Services is proud to be supporting group members to bring this claim. We are committed to ensuring these claims are properly tested before the Court and that powerful corporations are held accountable for conduct alleged to have caused serious harm to vulnerable Australian children and teenagers.”
MinterEllison Partner David Taylor said:
“MinterEllison is acting in this class action on behalf of Australian children and teenagers who allege they suffered harm through their use of Facebook and Instagram. The claims include allegations about Meta’s awareness of potential harm to children and its use of features designed to encourage engagement.”
MinterEllison Partner William Nolan said:
“This proceeding raises important questions about the design and operation of social media platforms and their impact on children and teenagers in Australia. Those questions will now be considered through the Federal Court process.”
