Meta Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged COPPA Violations and Underage User Data
Newly Unredacted Lawsuit Reveals Troubling Findings
A recently unsealed legal filing from a multi-state lawsuit against Meta exposes concerning evidence about the company’s handling of underage users on its platforms. The documents suggest Meta maintained a lax approach toward users under 13—the minimum age requirement for its services—contrary to its public statements.
Key Allegations in the Lawsuit
The complaint, filed by 42 state attorneys general, presents several serious accusations:
- Systemic COPPA violations: Meta allegedly collected personal data from children without parental consent
- Internal tracking of underage users: Company documents show Meta actively monitored under-13 (U13) user engagement
- Inadequate enforcement: Reports suggest Meta disabled fewer than half of flagged underage accounts in 2021
“The evidence is damning,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated. “Meta knew millions of children were using their platforms while publicly claiming otherwise.”
Shocking Internal Data Revealed
Internal Meta documents cited in the lawsuit include:
- 2015 statistics: Approximately 4 million U.S. children under 13 used Instagram (about 33% of all 10-12-year-olds)
- 2020 survey data: 31% of children aged 6-9 and 44% of those 10-12 reported using Facebook
- Engagement metrics: 20% of 12-year-olds were daily Instagram users in 2018
Image Credits: Meta
Evidence of Deliberate Avoidance
The lawsuit highlights several concerning internal communications:
- Researchers expressed concerns about accidentally revealing underage user data
- Surveys intentionally excluded questions that might identify U13 participants
- Meta allegedly instructed third-party researchers to omit evidence of underage Instagram use
“Meta goes through great lengths to avoid meaningfully complying with COPPA,” the lawsuit states, describing the company’s alleged efforts to maintain plausible deniability.
Meta’s Response and Industry Challenges
Meta responded to the allegations, stating:
- The lawsuit “mischaracterizes our work using selective quotes”
- The company has measures to remove underage accounts
- Age verification presents “a complex industry challenge”
However, the unredacted documents suggest Meta may have prioritized user growth over compliance, with internal presentations explicitly targeting “U13 kids” for engagement growth.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
The COPPA violations represent the most concrete legal claims in the broader lawsuit, which also addresses concerns about:
- Mental health impacts on young users
- Privacy violations
- Addictive platform design
“They could end all this today if they wanted,” AG Bonta remarked. “But they’re not.”
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