Eight plaintiffs filed the class action in the Federal Court in Sydney, seeking compensation for users exposed to harmful content or addicted to social media, with the claim alleging harm while they were under 18.
On Monday, 19 October, the court issued a suppression order preventing publication of the claim's details and the plaintiffs' identities.
A Meta spokesperson said the company is aware of the claim and will defend itself vigorously.
Australia's under-16 social media ban took effect in 2025, and the eSafety Commissioner said in March it was investigating Facebook and Instagram over minimum age rules.
Eight plaintiffs have brought a class action against Meta, together with its platforms Facebook and Instagram, before the Federal Court in Sydney. The claim alleges that certain addictive design features are harming children and teenagers. It seeks compensation for current and former users who say they were exposed to harmful content or developed a social media addiction. The plaintiffs allege they were harmed while they were under 18. MinterEllison is acting in the proceeding, and Litigation Lending Services says it is funding the action.
On Monday, 19 October, the court issued a suppression order that bars publication of the claim's details and the plaintiffs' identities, according to court documents. Meta has responded to the claim in a short statement.
“We are aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously.”
William Nolan, a partner at MinterEllison, said the case raises wider questions about how these platforms are built and run.
“This proceeding raises important questions about the design and operation of social media platforms and their impact on children and teenagers in Australia.”
Litigation Lending Services says it is backing the action because Australian families would otherwise have no practical way to pursue such claims against a global technology company. The case arrives as relations between Australia and large technology firms grow more strained. Australia introduced a world-first ban on social media for children under 16 in 2025, and it has proposed new rules that would let users switch off algorithm-driven content. The eSafety Commissioner, the country's online safety watchdog, said in March that it was investigating Facebook and Instagram over whether they comply with the minimum age rules. It has not yet decided on further action.
In August, Meta agreed to pay up to 17.7 billion dollars in the United States to settle with nearly all American states. That deal ended several lawsuits which accused the company of designing its platforms on purpose to make young users dependent. The Australian claim makes similar allegations about the design of the same apps, but it is the first such action in that country to target Meta on these grounds.
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Eight plaintiffs have filed a class action against Meta in Australia's Federal Court, alleging that addictive features on Facebook and Instagram harmed young users. MinterEllison is acting in the case and Litigation Lending Services is funding it.
AI text based on reports by Bloomberg Business, Deutsche Welle, BFMTV and other publishers. Published .