"Banning social media for under-14s" -- the first Italian class action lawsuit against Meta and Tiktok.
The Milan court is being asked to enforce age verification requirements. Also under scrutiny are systems that create screen addiction, such as "infinite scrolling" and "algorithmic manipulation."(Handle)
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It's too easy to circumvent the ban on social media registration for those under 14. The Turin law firm Ambrosio & Commodo has joined forces with MOIGE (Italian Parents' Movement) and declared a legal battle against Meta and Tiktok. The Milan court is being asked to require the platforms to comply with the age verification requirement, established by a European Union law, for anyone wishing to open an account.
The matter will be heard before a judge from the Business Division beginning February 12, 2026. The premise of the class action—the first of its kind in Italy—is that social media use, as numerous specialists consulted by the plaintiffs maintain, can cause serious problems for children and adolescents due to an excess (or deficiency) of dopamine, known as the "pleasure hormone." "Eating disorders, sleep deprivation, decreased academic performance, depression, and difficulty managing emotions and interpersonal relationships are consequences already widely described in the scientific literature." This is what makes the injunction possible: "As provided for by the Code of Civil Procedure," explains lawyer Renato Ambrosio, "the action is to stop conduct that is harmful to a number of individuals. It's about changing something that isn't going right. And that's just the first step: the next will be the quantification of damages ."
The law firm estimates that of the 90 million users in Italy on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, approximately 3 million are under the age of 14. "We want," says Antonio Affinita, director general of MOIGE, "a more robust verification system for the platforms. It can't be limited to a simple checkbox."
The appeal contains a parallel request that goes directly to the heart of how social media works : eliminating systems that create screen addiction, such as "infinite scrolling," "algorithmic manipulation," and data tracking that allows for increasingly personalized content "but is highly dangerous for adolescents" because it "influences their decision-making processes." The third request is the obligation to provide clear and accurate information about the risks: "Everyone," states lawyer Stefano Commodo, "must know that social media are not babysitters to whom we can entrust our children."
(Unioneonline)