Meta Platforms must face advertisers' class action, US appeals court says

FILE PHOTO: Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of Facebook logo in this illustration, July 24, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) -A divided U.S. appeals court said Meta Platforms must face a class action by advertisers that accused the Facebook and Instagram owner of overcharging them by fraudulently inflating the number of people their ads might reach.

In a 2-1 decision on Thursday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said advertisers could sue for damages as a group over Meta's claims about the "potential reach" of their ads.