Meta and TikTok have again found themselves in hot water for failing to protect minors or limit their use on platforms. The Collective Defense Institute, a Brazilian consumer rights group, filed two lawsuits worth three billion reais ($525.8 million) against Meta, TikTok and another Chinese short video platform, Kwai. Reuters reports.
The lawsuits are drawn from some of the (many) studies that have demonstrated the risks of social media use. Orders Meta and co. clearly warning about how platform addiction can negatively affect the mental health of minors. It also urges companies to establish detailed data protection mechanisms.
“Actions should be taken to change the way the algorithm works, the processing of data from users under 18, the way teenagers aged 13 and over are monitored and created accounts to create a safer environment. , a healthier practice… as in developed countries,” said Lillian Salgado, a lawyer and one of the plaintiffs.
This is far from the first claim for Meta or TikTok regarding the safety of minors. In late 2023 The state of New Mexico sued Meta for failing to protect children when both Facebook and Instagram allegedly offered sexual content to minors. A month later, it was revealed that in a 2021 internal memo, Meta had discovered that more than 100,000 child users were experiencing daily harassment. However, Meta executives rejected the recommended algorithm redesign. Earlier this month 14 attorney generals sued TikTok for “falsely claiming that its platform is safe for young people”. These are just two of the many lawsuits filed against social media platforms for failing to protect young users.
Recently Meta created teenage accounts Mandatory for all users under 16 on Instagram. They have stricter privacy settings and require parental approval for any changes. However, these accounts are not yet available in Brazil – although Meta claims they will be soon.
In a statement from Meta, it said it “wants young people to have a safe and age-appropriate experience with our apps, and we’ve been working on these issues for over a decade, developing over 50 tools, resources and features for and supporting teens . guardians.”
It should be noted that Brazil is on the field recently Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) for the government’s refusal to block profiles it claimed were spreading election disinformation. The company eventually paid 28 million reais ($4.9 million in fines).
