In a historic decision, a US court found Meta guilty of failing to protect children from online dangers. The New Mexico jury determined that Facebook and Instagram failed to protect children from dangers like obscene videos and photos, enticement for wrongful acts, and human trafficking. In this case, the jury imposed a heavy fine of Rs 3,161 crore on Meta. In another case, a California jury held Meta and Google responsible for a young woman’s depression and anxiety. The woman alleged that social media companies, including Meta, deliberately created products that are addictive. This affected her mental health. In this case, the court imposed a fine of Rs 28 crore on Meta and Google. Of this, 70% amount, which is about Rs 20 crore, has to be paid by Meta. The court will also impose additional penalties against both companies. Here’s why this victory is historic Why all eyes are on this case – These two cases are among the initial cases that tested whether social media companies can be held responsible for content posted on their platforms. Why this victory is important – New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torres called it the first trial victory by any state against a big tech company in a case involving harm to children and youth. He said Meta prioritized profits over children’s safety. Was Meta unaware of the risks: Company officials knew their products were causing harm, yet they ignored warnings and hid the truth from the public. Precedent for thousands of cases: This case is part of thousands of individual lawsuits consolidated in a California court. Additionally, more than 2,000 lawsuits are pending in Federal Court, filed by various individuals and schools. What will be the impact: These decisions have come at a time when laws are being made around the world to limit or restrict phone usage among children and teenagers. The decision will have far-reaching effects. Meta said- Will appeal: Meta has said that it will appeal against the decision. The company accused of making sensational and unnecessary arguments by picking selective documents. India- Cyber crimes against children increased 38% in 2 years Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that across the country, cyber crimes against children have recorded a massive increase of about 38% between 2021 and 2023. Kerala and Karnataka on top Kerala tops in cyber crime cases against children in the country, where 443 cases were registered in 2023 with a crime rate of 4.7 per lakh. Karnataka stands second after this. Rajasthan – Cyber crimes against children are increasing rapidly. Here cases increased from just 33 in 2021 to 306 in 2023, showing an alarming spike of 827%. Kerala saw cases rise from 163 to 443 (172%) and Uttarakhand from 23 to 64 (178%). Karnataka recorded an increase from 164 to 363 (121%) and Chhattisgarh from 88 to 193 (119%), both showing more than double growth. Decrease Here -: UP saw a 66% decrease in cases. However, according to experts, this could indicate under-reporting.
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