Amelia Luca, 22, and her mother Lyn have signed on to potential legal action against Meta, saying social media contributed to Amelia’s anorexia. The move comes as Shine Lawyers investigates potential legal action, a separate claim by MinterEllison has been lodged in the Federal Court, and Meta agreed to pay up to US$18 billion over 10 years to settle claims by nearly every US state and territory that Facebook and Instagram were harming children.
Amelia Luca was 16 when she started tracking her fitness during COVID-19 lockdowns. She says her algorithm served her an inescapable diet of pro-anorexia content, teaching her how to hide her food, exercise throughout the night and eventually live without eating. 'It's a slow suicide,' her mother Lyn said.
Amelia has been hospitalised multiple times but is too unwell to go to an eating disorder clinic because her weight is too low. Lyn said social media was teaching and feeding the illness.
Lyn and Amelia have joined Shine Lawyers, which is investigating potential legal action against Meta and other social media companies over alleged harms linked to social media addiction and platform design. Shine's head of class actions, Craig Allsopp, said the US developments were significant for families in Australia who had raised concerns. 'If Australian families have been affected, they deserve answers,' he said.
Separately, MinterEllison lodged a statement of claim in the Federal Court on October 9 for a class action against Meta on behalf of children and teenagers, alleging they suffered harm from addictive design features and exposure to harmful content while under 18. The first case management hearing is scheduled for November 3. A Meta spokesperson told Reuters the company would defend itself vigorously.
The push follows Meta's agreement to pay up to US$18 billion over 10 years to settle claims by nearly every US state and territory that it harmed children. Meta denied wrongdoing in that settlement.
Australia was the first country to ban social media for children under 16, in 2025, but eSafety Commission data shows 42 per cent of children aged 10 to 15 still have a social media account. Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced a Digital Duty of Care Bill in October that, if passed, would mean companies face heavy fines for breaches.
Butterfly Foundation's Mel Wilton said the number of people with eating disorders in Australia had risen 21 per cent since 2012, with young people disproportionately impacted. She said she regularly hears from the community about social media content that perpetuates harmful beauty and body ideals and includes 'what I eat in a day' content; she supports the government's suggestion to name disordered eating as a harm platforms must prevent.
Lyn said she hoped the legal action could save other children from being caught up in social media harms.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case could set a legal precedent for holding social media platforms accountable for algorithmic harm in Australia.
- It highlights the ongoing mental health crisis among young people linked to social media use.
- The US settlement and Australian actions show a growing global regulatory crackdown on Big Tech.
Background
Meta recently agreed to pay up to $US18 billion to settle US claims that its platforms harmed children, without admitting wrongdoing. In Australia, the government passed a world-first ban on under-16s using social media in 2025, and the eSafety Commission reports that 42 per cent of children aged 10-15 still have accounts. A Digital Duty of Care Bill introduced in October would require platforms to prevent identified harms such as disordered eating.
Key Perspectives
Lyn and Amelia Luca: allege that Meta's algorithm exacerbated Amelia's anorexia and that social media companies should be held accountable.
Meta: denied wrongdoing in the US settlement and says it will “defend ourselves vigorously” against the Australian class action.
Butterfly Foundation’s Mel Wilton: says social media content perpetuates harmful ideals, supports the government’s proposal to name disordered eating as a harm platforms must prevent.
Shine Lawyers’ Craig Allsopp: says US developments are significant for Australian families; “they deserve answers.”
MinterEllison: is pursuing compensation for children harmed by addictive design and harmful content.
Litigation Lending Services’ Susan Wynne: says big tech should not be shielded from scrutiny; driving change is the goal.
What to Watch
- The first case management hearing in the MinterEllison class action, scheduled for November 3.
- The progress of the Digital Duty of Care Bill through federal parliament.
- Whether Shine Lawyers proceeds with a formal class action and how many families sign on.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedAmelia Luca and her mother have signed on to potential legal action against Meta, saying social media contributed to Amelia’s anorexia.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Lyn Luca and her daughter, Amelia, 22, are signing on to potential legal action against Meta, saying social media contributed to Amelia’s anorexia.”
- SupportedMinterEllison has lodged a separate class action claim in the Federal Court.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Another law firm, MinterEllison, lodged a separate statement of claim for a class action against Meta Platforms and its related entities in the Federal Court of Australia on October 9.”
- SupportedMeta agreed to pay up to US$18 billion over 10 years to settle claims by nearly every US state and territory that Facebook and Instagram were harming children.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “it agreed to pay up to $US18 billion ($26 billion) over 10 years to settle claims that Facebook and Instagram were harming children.”
- SupportedAmelia was 16 when she began tracking her fitness during COVID-19 lockdowns.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “It was during COVID-19 lockdowns in Victoria that she began tracking her fitness and comparing her food intake with others on social media.”
- SupportedAmelia said her algorithm served her inescapable pro-anorexia content that taught her ways to hide food, exercise through the night and live without eating.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “says her algorithm served her a diet of inescapable pro-anorexia content, teaching her how to hide her food, to exercise throughout the night, and eventually how to live without eating at all.”
- SupportedLyn said, “It's a slow suicide.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““It’s a slow suicide,” says her mother, Lyn Luca.”
- SupportedAmelia has been hospitalised multiple times and is too unwell to go to an eating disorder clinic because her weight is too low.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “She’s been hospitalised multiple times but is too unwell to go to an eating disorder clinic because her weight is too low.”
- SupportedShine Lawyers is investigating potential legal action against Meta and other social media companies over alleged harms linked to social media addiction and platform design.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Lyn and Amelia have signed on with Shine Lawyers, which is investigating potential legal action against Meta and other social media companies over alleged harms linked to social media addiction and platform design.”
- SupportedThe MinterEllison claim is on behalf of children and teenagers alleging harm from addictive design features and harmful content experienced under 18.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The claim is on behalf of children and teenagers who suffered harm as a result of addictive design features and exposure to harmful content while under the age of 18.”
- SupportedThe first case management hearing is scheduled for November 3.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The first case management hearing is on November 3.”
- SupportedA Meta spokesperson told Reuters that the company would defend itself vigorously.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “A Meta spokesperson told Reuters the company was aware of the claim and would “defend ourselves vigorously”.”
- SupportedAustralia was the first country to ban social media for children under 16, in 2025.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The Australia government was the first to ban social media for children under 16 in 2025”