SYDNEY: A class action lawsuit has been filed in an Australian court against Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram, alleging that the social media platforms exposed children to harmful content and kept them hooked through algorithms.
The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court of Australia, the country's second-highest court, by law firm MinterEllison this month, could be the first in Australia to hold social media responsible for harming its users, particularly children and teenagers.
The class action has been filed on behalf of eight plaintiffs, who allege they were harmed by Meta while they were under 18 and are seeking compensation.
In a suppression order on Monday, the court prohibited the reporting of any information that could reveal the identities of the applicants or the contents of the statement of claim.
