Brazil has taken legal action against Meta, TikTok, and Kwai, accusing the platforms of not doing enough to safeguard minors. The Collective Defense Institute, a consumer rights group, has filed two lawsuits, demanding a hefty three billion reais (around $525 million).
The group argues that the companies failed to proactively protect young users or set effective limits on their platform usage.
Social media giants under fire again
The lawsuits highlight concerns about the negative impact social media can have on young people’s mental health. The legal action calls on Meta, TikTok, and Kwai to issue clear warnings about the risks of platform addiction. Additionally, the companies are expected to outline more robust data protection practices to ensure better safety for minors.
The group behind the lawsuit stressed that urgent changes are needed to improve how user data from under-18s is handled and how teens aged 13 and above are monitored on these platforms. They believe such measures are already being followed in other developed countries.
This is not the first time Meta and TikTok have faced legal challenges for failing to protect minors. Towards the end of 2023, the state of New Mexico filed a case against Meta, accusing Facebook and Instagram of exposing minors to inappropriate content.
Shortly after, reports revealed that an internal memo from Meta in 2021 found over 100,000 young users faced harassment daily. Despite this, Meta’s executives reportedly resisted calls for algorithm changes. Earlier this month, several US attorneys general also filed lawsuits against TikTok, claiming the platform misled the public about its safety for young users.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/tech/brazil-sues-meta-tiktok-500-million-for-not-proactively-protecting-minors-13830503.html.
