New Jersey, leading a coalition of 41 other attorneys general, sued Meta for knowingly designing addictive Instagram and Facebook features targeting children and teens while falsely claiming the platforms were safe. The lawsuit alleges Meta collected personal data from users under 13 without parental consent, violating the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and state consumer protection laws like the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The complaint seeks injunctive relief to stop Meta's alleged unlawful practices and monetary damages to redress harms caused to children and teens.
Entity
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Also known as: Meta
Industry
Social MediaOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/ag-platkin-41-other-attorneys-general-sue-meta-for-harms-to-youth-from-instagram-facebook/
2023 1024 Meta Multistate Federal Complaint (N.D. Cal.) FINA
https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases23/2023-1024_Meta-Multistate-Federal-Complaint-(N.D.-Cal.)-FINAL-REDACTED.pdf
1519847869591
https://njoag.app.box.com/s/tesznr0himfxy0fbhifg19znt9eg9hdk/file/1519847869591
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
$1.4B
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a record-setting $1.4 billion settlement with Meta for unlawfully capturing and using the biometric data of millions of Texans, marking one of the largest privacy settlements in U.S. history.
Attorney General William Tong led a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in urging Meta Platforms to protect users from fraudulent investment ads on Facebook that facilitate pump-and-dump schemes, causing significant financial losses. The coalition calls for enhanced ad review processes, including human review for investment ads, and suggests ceasing investment ads if scams cannot be curbed.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in sending a letter to Meta Platforms, Inc. to address the rising number of Facebook and Instagram account takeovers by scammers. The coalition criticizes Meta's inadequate security measures and calls for improved protections including multi-factor authentication, increased staffing for response, and stronger enforcement against scammers. The letter urges Meta to take immediate action to safeguard user accounts from hijacking and fraud.
New Jersey is co-leading a nationwide investigation into whether Instagram and its parent company Meta Platforms, Inc. are violating state consumer protection laws by employing techniques that induce children, teenagers, and young adults to use the platform in potentially harmful ways. The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is examining the potential mental and physical health harms resulting from extended engagement, including depression, anxiety, and body image issues.
A former employee of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families was indicted for allegedly leaking confidential child protection case information in exchange for bribes. The defendant, Susaida Nazario, misused her access to provide case details to an unauthorized individual, compromising sensitive children's data.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced that New Jersey is joining a coalition of 22 states in suing Uber for deceptive practices related to its Uber One subscription service. The lawsuit alleges that Uber enrolled consumers without their knowledge and made cancellation extremely difficult, seeking restitution, penalties, and an injunction under New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act.