Brazil Sues Tech Giants over Child Safety on Social Media

The Collective Defense Institute in Brazil has filed lawsuits seeking 3 billion reais from TikTok, Kwai, and Meta Platforms. The charges claim the firms haven't prevented underage users' risky platform usage. The move highlights social media regulation concerns, following an incident involving Elon Musk and Brazil's Supreme Court.

The Brazilian Collective Defense Institute is taking a stand against major social media platforms, including TikTok, Kwai, and Meta Platforms, by filing two lawsuits demanding a collective compensation of 3 billion reais. The legal action comes amid increasing concerns about inadequate measures to curtail the unrestricted use of these platforms by minors, as evidenced in documents reviewed by Reuters.

This legal move marks a significant moment in Brazil as it seeks to regulate social media usage more strictly, following a notable altercation between Elon Musk, the owner of X, and a Brazilian Supreme Court justice, which ended with the company facing substantial penalties. The lawsuits have been filed in Minas Gerais, aiming for the implementation of robust data protection safeguards and prominent user warnings about the mental health implications for young users.

The necessity of this legal mandate is underscored by research indicating potential psychological harm from unsupervised social media activity among children and teenagers. Lawyer Lillian Salgado has emphasized the urgency of these protective measures, which are noted as standard practices in several developed nations. While Meta Platforms has announced ongoing initiatives to ensure youth safety, TikTok and Kwai's responses remain pending.

(With inputs from agencies.)