US Virgin Islands Sues Meta Over Scam Ads and Child Safety Failures. The attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands has filed a lawsuit against Meta accusing the company of knowingly profiting from scam advertisements and failing to protect users, especially children, on Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit claims Meta allowed ads linked to fraud, illegal gambling and banned products to flourish in order to boost user engagement and revenue. It points to a recent Reuters investigation revealing Meta internally estimated that around 10% of its 2024 revenue – roughly $16 billion – could come from such ads. According to the lawsuit, Meta only blocks suspected scam advertisers when its systems are nearly certain of wrongdoing. The case also accuses the company of misleading the public about the safety of its platforms. Meta has denied the allegations, saying it actively fights scams and has significantly reduced scam reports, while rejecting claims that it fails to protect young users.