Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram, is facing a monumental legal challenge in the UK that could cost the tech giant billions of pounds. The lawsuit alleges systematic and illegal harvesting of children's personal data on a staggering scale.
A representative action has been filed on behalf of an estimated 3.5 million children in England and Wales who used the platform between 2015 and now. The core allegation is that Instagram collected highly sensitive information—including location data, photos, and even biometric details—without the explicit and informed consent required by UK data protection laws.
The Heart of the Allegations
The case, led by law firm Milberg London, accuses Meta of constructing intricate profiles of its young users for targeted advertising. This practice, the claimants argue, turns children into a lucrative product by exploiting their personal information without them or their parents fully understanding how it is being used.
"Meta has built a business model which is entirely focused on harvesting as much data as possible from its users, including children," stated a representative from the firm. The lawsuit hinges on the claim that this data collection was not transparent and violated the UK's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
A Landmark Moment for Digital Rights
This case represents one of the most significant legal tests for data privacy in the social media era. If successful, it could force a fundamental overhaul of how tech companies operate in the UK and set a powerful precedent for protecting minors online.
Experts suggest the claim could result in damages ranging from hundreds of millions to several billion pounds. More importantly, it sends a clear message to Silicon Valley: the exploitation of young users' data will not be tolerated under British law.
A Meta spokesperson responded, saying: "We’ve invested heavily in features and tools to protect teens and keep their data private." The company is expected to vigorously defend against the claim.
