Meta and its Facebook and Instagram platforms are facing a class action in Australia alleging that design features make social media addictive and harm children and teenagers. The lawsuit is filed in the Federal Court in Sydney on behalf of eight applicants, who seek compensation for people who allegedly experienced harmful content and/or developed addiction while under 18.

The court issues a suppression order that stops publication of details of the claim and the identities of the applicants, according to court documents. Korea Times also notes that Meta agreed in the United States to pay up to $17.7 billion to settle similar allegations that it engineered platforms to hook young users. Other outlets describe the filing and the basic allegations but provide fewer procedural details.

Across the coverage, the main agreed points are the Australian class action, the eight plaintiffs, Meta/Facebook/Instagram as defendants, and allegations tied to child harm and compulsive use. The differences are largely in emphasis—some foreground the addiction framing, while others stick to the general claim and compensation goal.