Facebook £3bn legal action approved in London

A judge has approved a large-scale legal action against Meta, the owner of Facebook, which could be worth £3bn. The case, led by legal academic Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen on behalf of 45 million Facebook users, was initially rejected in 2023 but a revised version has now been accepted. The case alleges that Facebook abused its dominant position by requiring users to provide their data from non-Facebook products, such as Instagram, and other third-party sites. The claim seeks compensation of £2.07-3.1bn for individuals who had Facebook accounts between February 2016 and October 2023. Meta has stated that the claims are “entirely without merit” and it will vigorously defend against them. The case will be heard at the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Meta previously paid $725m in a privacy case to US Facebook account holders in 2023.