Meta is facing an all-new $2 billion lawsuit, one for allegedly fanning the flames of the Ethiopian civil war and inciting violence in the country.
Meta, formerly Facebook, has long been criticized for the algorithms it uses to push and promote content, claiming it harms users by promoting harmful content that feeds misinformation and fans violence. At least one group is going all-out to hold the company responsible, filing a $2 billion lawsuit, according to Forbes.
One of the major factors was the death of Professor Meareg Amare Abrha, who was shot and killed after he was named in Facebook posts and accused of stealing equipment from Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar University. Some of the posts called for the professor’s death and disclosed the location of his neighborhood. To make matters worse, the professor’s son says some of the hateful posts were still visible on Facebook as recently as a week ago.
As a result of the situation, human rights group Foxglove has joined the fight and is launching a lawsuit in an effort to force Facebook to change its algorithm.
“The Professor’s tragedy, sadly, is one of thousands. Across the world, we’ve seen how Facebook’s design has fanned the flames of hatred and violence. We’ve seen it in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India and even in the US, where viral incitement helped spur the January 6 Capitol riots,” says Foxglove in a statement.
“Today we are proud to be supporting the launch of a major new case demanding fundamental change to Facebook’s algorithm, prioritising the safety of the 500 million people who live in Eastern and Southern Africa over Mark Zuckerberg’s profits.”
The case could have profound implications for Meta’s business and could force the company to make changes it has so far resisted making.