Specifically, 33 states in the US have filed a lawsuit accusing Meta of intentionally designing the interface of social media platforms, especially Instagram, to addict young people.
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| Meta could face unprecedented fine over allegations of child data collection |
The lawsuit also says Meta was aware that millions of users under the age of 13 were using its platforms, but the company hid that information, violating its age policy.
“In fact, Meta knew that there were millions of Instagram users under the age of 13. The company only shut down a fraction of those accounts,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit also alleges that Meta routinely collects personal information from children, including email addresses and user locations. According to Business Insider , it is illegal for companies to collect data from children under the age of 13.
For each individual violation, the company could face fines of up to $50,120. If it can be proven that Meta knew about the existence of millions of underage accounts, the company could face unprecedented fines.
Meta, for its part, has denied the claims in the states' lawsuit. At the same time, the company also said that users under the age of 13 are not allowed to have Instagram accounts and that it has "measures to delete such accounts when identified."
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