Australia to sue Meta over child safety concerns

Social media giant Meta, and its platforms Facebook and Instagram, have been hit with a class action lawsuit against them in Australia over allegations of harm to children and minors, because of addictive design features. 

The suit has been filed in the Federal Court by eight applicants who are seeking compensation for being exposed to harmful content/social media addiction, law firm Minter Ellison and Litigation Lending said in a statement.

Court documents show that the Federal Court in Sydney issued a suppression order on Monday stopping publication of details of the claim and the identity of the applicants.

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In response, Meta said, “We are aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously.”

Litigation Lending Services announced it was funding the class action for the Australian families who "would have no practical means of pursuing these claims against a global technology giant".

Minter Ellison partner William Nolan said 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."