Posted inLawsuits

Luxury and a Dash of Scam

A variety of colorful plush toys are displayed on a wall at a fair or carnival. A yellow sign with black lettering reads "Winner Every Time!.
Contest winners tricked

The Kardashian clan cannot escape the spotlight, as the famous family’s highest earning member is named as a defendant in a recent lawsuit, which has been filed on behalf of individuals who claimed they were duped into participating in a fraudulent promotional giveaway that took place in 2020. Kim Kardashian does not stand as the only defendant in the case, but is joined by her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Scott Disick. According to the complaint, Disick allegedly organized the promotion and Kardashian endorsed it on her social media account. An additional defendant in the case, a company called Curated, is confident that the giveaway was legal.

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Posted inLawsuits

Fake Twitter Purchase

A hand holding a smartphone displaying various app icons on the home screen, including social media and messaging apps. The phone is held in an outdoor setting with a blurry background.
Staying connected

A publicly traded company since 2013, Twitter’s existence depends on its owners and its users. As one of its largest shareholders, Elon Musk proposed an acquisition of the company earlier this year. After the company failed to disclose the precise percentage of its fake user accounts, referred to as bot accounts, Musk rescinded his $44 billion offer. The company has now responded with legal action and challenges Musk’s reasoning for not going through with the deal. Twitter accuses Musk, who operates as the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, of changing his mind due to a shift in his financial motivations.

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Posted inLawsuits

TikTok Can’t Filter New Lawsuit

Two people interacting with a laptop on a table. One person points at the screen, while another types on the keyboard. Both are wearing casual clothing and the scene captures a collaborative, tech-focused environment.
Content moderation

In terms of social media, TikTok is considered one of the most popular and preferable, particularly to younger users. For those unfamiliar with the platform, the app allows its account holders to create and upload videos. Users may also view and respond or react to the videos of others within a shared community. Despite its appeal, some of the individuals who are employed to review the platform’s incoming content have come forward to express their dissatisfaction with certain working conditions. Specifically, employees have accused the company of failing to provide adequate mental health programs or support for employees that have developed anxiety and depression.

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Posted inSettlements

Facebook Settles for a Brighter Future

A smartphone screen displaying a folder labeled "Social media" with icons for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The phone is angled slightly and has a dark background.
Recognize this?

Illinois Facebook users are finding some relief in the most recent legal settlement against the social media company.  According to Illinois law, companies may not collect facial recognition information and data without prior consent of the detected individual.  One of Facebook’s features tags photos through the use of software that distinguishes facial similarities.  The lawsuit reached class action status and was originally filed in 2015.  Claimants argued that Facebook did not obtain prior authorization of Illinois residents who use Facebook.  Instead the social media company implemented the feature as a default for users.

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Posted inLawsuits

Facebook Advertisers Call Foul

A person gives a thumbs-up with a hand featuring red nail polish. In the background, a mountain landscape is illuminated by the sun breaking through clouds.
Thumbs down

Another day, another Facebook lawsuit. This time around, the slings and arrows aimed at Mark Zuckerberg and co are from their advertisers, who claim that the Facebook ad platform misled them. The main point of contention is the “Potential Reach” number, an ambiguous total provided by Facebook to help agencies spend their money. Unfortunately, an astute advertiser noticed that the “Potential Reach” number for Facebook users between 18-34 actually exceeds the amount of people in that age group, in every state. This particular social media lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in North California, and will likely bring in more plaintiffs.

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