The lawsuit alleges that Meta did not have the appropriate tools to protect minor children.
South Carolina House Representative Brandon Guffey filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Instagram, saying its practices led to sextortion and led to his 17-year-old son’s suicide in 2022. Gavin Guffey, 17, shot himself in the bathroom and his father has been searching for clues ever since.
according to CNNTwo months after his son’s death, Mr Guffey and his younger son began receiving private messages on Instagram. The man demanded money in exchange for nude photos of his late son. Anyone named Guffey on Gavin’s Instagram follower list received a similar message.
Soon, the family realized Gavin was the victim of a sextortion scam on Instagram.
Mr. Guffey is suing Instagram parent company Meta for wrongful death, gross negligence and other charges, saying it doesn’t do enough to protect children like Gavin from online predators. CNN the report said.
A legal complaint filed in a South Carolina court last week claims Meta’s social media platform is responsible for a variety of problems in children, such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and eating disorders. The lawsuit alleges that Meta used algorithms to proactively target teenagers but failed to adequately protect them from potential harm.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta did not have the appropriate tools to protect minor children.
A Meta spokesperson told CNN that teen safety is the company’s top priority, and Meta offers dozens of resources to help young users stay safe. The company said it also encourages teens to seek help and fight back if they are attacked.
Minutes before Gavin died by suicide, he sent his brother and friends a symbol of love in the shape of a heart on a black background.
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