Meta sued in Australia class action over alleged social media harm to children
META•Eight plaintiffs have filed an Australian class action alleging Meta’s Facebook and Instagram exposed them to harmful content and used addictive algorithms when they were under 18. They are seeking compensation; Meta agreed in August to pay $18 billion to settle claims with nearly all U.S. states over alleged child addiction.
1. Australian lawsuit filed
Eight plaintiffs filed a class action against Meta Platforms in Australia’s Federal Court, alleging they were harmed by Facebook and Instagram before they turned 18 and seeking compensation. The suit alleges the platforms exposed children to harmful content and kept them engaged through addictive algorithms.
2. Court and policy context
A court suppression order prohibits reporting information that could identify the applicants or reveal the statement of claims. In August, Meta agreed to pay $18 billion to settle claims with nearly all U.S. states that it designed social media to addict children. The lawsuit comes as Australia has banned social media for children under 16 and proposed rules that could let users switch off algorithm-driven content in their feeds.
