An Australian law firm has initiated a class action against Meta, alleging the social media giant’s platforms have caused harm to children and teenagers. The case was filed Wednesday in the Federal Court and accuses Meta of using addictive design features and exposing young users to damaging content on sites such as Instagram and Facebook.

The legal action is being led by MinterEllison, with partner David Taylor highlighting claims that Meta was aware of the risks its platforms posed to young users. The firm contends that the company employed engagement strategies designed to retain users while potentially endangering their wellbeing. The proceedings aim to address broader issues surrounding the design and operation of social media services in Australia.

Backing the lawsuit financially is Litigation Lending Services, whose chairman Shaun Bonett emphasized the importance of protecting children from online harm. Bonett described the case as a crucial opportunity to hold a major technology company accountable for alleged widespread damage to young people resulting from its platform practices.

Concerns about Meta’s knowledge of these harms gained international attention following a 2021 leak of internal documents. The files, initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, included confidential Meta materials from when the company was still known as Facebook. Among them was a 2019 internal presentation slide stating that the platform “makes bodily-image issues worse for one in three teen girls.” These revelations have fueled ongoing scrutiny over Meta’s handling of child safety and mental health risks on its social media platforms.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for affected children and teenagers, while also calling for judicial examination of how social media companies design features that may contribute to addiction and exposure to harmful material. Meta has not publicly responded to the class action filing as of this time.