Meta loses bid to dismiss US states' claims that Facebook, Instagram addict children


People walk behind a logo of Meta Platforms company, during a conference in Mumbai, India, September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

June 30 (Reuters) - ⁠A federal judge rejected Meta ⁠Platforms' bid to dismiss a ‌lawsuit by dozens of U.S. state attorneys general accusing it of designing Facebook ​and Instagram to ⁠be addictive to ⁠children and knowingly concealing the harm ⁠from ‌the public.

In a decision late on Monday night, ⁠U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez ​Rogers in ‌Oakland, California denied Meta's motion ⁠to ​dismiss claims based on deception, unfairness and violations of the federal ⁠Children's Online Privacy Protection ​Act.

The judge also said it was undisputed that Meta did not ⁠comply with that law's notice and parental consent requirements, and granted summary judgment to the states ​on that issue.

Meta ⁠did not immediately respond to ​a request for ‌comment on Tuesday.

(Reporting by ​Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Others Also Read