A coalition of 41 state attorneys general says Meta is failing to assist Facebook and Instagram users whose accounts have been hacked—and they want the company to take “immediate action.”
A group of forty-one state attorneys general in the United States, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, has raised concerns with Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook Inc.) over a significant rise in complaints about Facebook and Instagram accounts being stolen. The letter addressed to Meta's Chief Legal Officer, Jennifer Newstead, emphasized the urgent need for action to counter what they describe as a "dramatic and persistent spike" in account takeovers. These incidents not only strain government resources but are also linked to financial crimes, some of which allegedly benefit Meta directly. The officials pointed out instances where stolen accounts were used to fraudulently charge stored credit cards and purchase advertisements on Meta platforms, signaling a direct financial impact on victims and potentially generating revenue for Meta.
The coalition, which includes attorneys general from a wide range of states, criticizes Meta for not investing sufficiently in mitigating and responding to these issues, effectively leaving the states to handle customer service duties for the company. In their response, Meta, through spokesperson Erin McPike, defended its efforts to combat scams, highlighting investments in enforcement teams, detection tools, and collaboration with law enforcement. The company also mentioned its efforts to educate users on securing their accounts. However, the letter from the attorneys general and testimonies from affected users reveal a profound dissatisfaction with Meta's response to the increasing problem of account takeovers, which often leads to identity theft, fraud, and the permanent suspension of legitimate accounts, further victimizing the individuals, particularly small business owners reliant on social media for their operations. The dramatic rise in complaints, coinciding with significant layoffs at Meta, underscores the escalating challenge of protecting users on popular social media platforms.