Meta (the company behind Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok are facing serious problems again for not doing enough to protect young users. A consumer rights group in Brazil called the Collective Defense Institute has filed two lawsuits against Meta, TikTok, and another video app called Kwai, asking for a total of 3 billion reais (about $525.8 million).
The lawsuits highlight research showing that social media can be harmful to kids. The group wants Meta and the other companies to clearly warn about the risks of getting addicted to these platforms and how it can negatively affect young people’s mental health. They also want more detailed information on how the companies will protect users’ data.
Lillian Salgado, a lawyer involved in the lawsuits, stated that it’s very important to change how these platforms operate, especially concerning users under 18. She emphasized the need for better supervision of teen accounts and safer experiences, similar to what is done in other developed countries.
This isn’t the first time Meta or TikTok has faced lawsuits about the safety of children. For instance, New Mexico sued Meta in late 2023 for not safeguarding kids, claiming that Facebook and Instagram showed inappropriate content to minors. An internal memo from Meta revealed that more than 100,000 child users experienced daily harassment, but the company ignored suggestions to improve its algorithms. Recently, 14 state attorneys general also sued TikTok for falsely saying its platform is safe for young people.
To address some of these concerns, Meta has created special accounts for teens on Instagram that are required for all users under 16. These accounts have stricter privacy settings and need parents’ approval for any changes, but they are not yet available in Brazil, although Meta says they will be soon.
Meta stated that they want young people to have safe experiences on their apps and have been working on this for over a decade, developing many tools and resources to support teens and their families.
Additionally, Brazil has been in conflict with Elon Musk’s platform X (formerly Twitter) for not blocking accounts that spread false information about elections, which led to a fine of 28 million reais (around $4.9 million).
After losing business due to an Apple privacy feature three years ago, Meta is trying to rely less on Google and Microsoft. Reports say that Meta is working on a search engine for its chatbot and has teamed up with Reuters to help its AI answer news-related questions. The company has been indexing the web for about eight months, aiming to integrate this information into Meta AI as an alternative to Google Search and Microsoft Bing.
