There is no successful precedent for using foreMyanmar Rohingya refugees have filed a $150 billion lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook, alleging that the social media company failed to act on anti-Rohingya hate speech that contributed to violence. According to a class-action lawsuit filed in California on Monday by law firms Edelson PC and Fields PLLC, the company's failures to police content and the design of its platform contributed to the real-world violence experienced by the Rohingya community. As part of a coordinated action, British lawyers also served a letter of notice on Facebook's London office. Facebook did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the lawsuit. The company stated that it was "too slow to prevent misinformation and hatred" in Myanmar and that it has since taken steps to crack down on platform abuse in the region, including banning the military from Facebook and Instagram after the February 1 deadline. Facebook has stated that it is immune from liability for user-posted content under Section 230 of the US internet law, which states that online platforms are not liable for third-party content posted by users. If Section 230 is raised as a defense, the complaint states that the claims will be adjudicated under Burmese law. Although US courts can apply foreign law in cases where the alleged harms and company activity occurred in other countries, two legal experts interviewed by Reuters said they were unaware of any successful precedent for using foreign law in lawsuits against social media companies where Section 230 protections could apply.
