Title: Meta Faces Lawsuit for Allowing Underage Users on Instagram, Collecting Personal Data without Consent
In an ongoing federal lawsuit, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has been accused of knowingly permitting children under the age of 13 to create accounts on Instagram and collecting their personal information without parental consent. Attorneys general from 33 states have joined forces to denounce Meta’s actions and shed light on the company’s alleged indifference towards the issue.
According to the lawsuit, Meta received over a million reports of underage users on Instagram between 2019 and 2023. Shockingly, Meta only disabled a fraction of these accounts, raising concerns about the company’s commitment to protecting young users. The case argues that Meta’s actions violate both state consumer protection laws and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), which expressly prohibits the collection of personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.
Documents obtained during the investigation reveal that Meta’s own records show the presence of millions of users under the age of 13 on Instagram. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of teenage users reportedly spend more than five hours a day navigating the platform. The complaint further alleges that Meta’s algorithm directs children towards harmful content, having a negative impact on their mental health.
Meta has promptly denied the accusations, claiming that verifying the age of users online remains a complex challenge. However, the company asserts its support for federal legislation that would mandate parental approval for app downloads by teenagers under the age of 16.
Employees within Meta have reportedly raised concerns about the social comparison and harmful content prevalent on Instagram. However, the lawsuit claims that Meta has consistently refused to alter its algorithm to address these issues, signaling a disregard for the potential consequences on young users’ mental well-being.
The ongoing legal proceedings seek court orders to prohibit Meta from engaging in these alleged practices, as well as civil penalties that could potentially amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. This significant wave of lawsuits against Meta follows a multistate investigation that was initiated in 2021, driven by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s revelations of internal company documents indicating that Meta was aware its products could harm young people’s mental health.
As the lawsuit unfolds, the outcome will be closely watched, not only for its potential impact on Meta but also for its broader implications for online platforms’ accountability towards protecting vulnerable users, particularly children.
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