Meta's US Settlement Raises Global Accountability Questions Amid Ongoing Legal Challenges > 월드뉴스

In October 2021, Abrham Meareg’s father, a chemistry professor in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, was shot outside their home during the civil war. Meareg claims Facebook's algorithms promoted posts calling for his father's murder, which included his father's image and home address. Despite repeated requests to remove these posts, Facebook did not act. Meareg filed a lawsuit in 2022, but the case remains unheard nearly four years later. On Wednesday, Meta settled a lawsuit from 29 US states for $18 billion, agreeing to modify certain features on its platform in the US. California’s attorney general hailed the settlement as a significant victory for children and families. However, the implications for global accountability remain uncertain, as other claims in jurisdictions like Amsterdam and Nairobi are still pending. Meta's stock rose following the settlement, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg avoided testifying. The settlement requires Meta to impose time limits on children's use of its platforms, similar to regulations already in place in the UK and Australia. Nonetheless, this does not address the broader issue of Meta's influence on global democracy and accountability.

China has suspended rescue operations in Tibet due to the risk of renewed flooding following a deadly mudslide. State media reported that a lake formed by debris is threatening to overflow. Emergency teams have been ordered to withdraw to safety. In Nepal, army helicopter teams are focused on rescuing about 100 people trapped in a hydropower project tunnel affected by the flooding. The Nepalese army confirmed that 350 individuals have been rescued, while the death toll from the flash floods has reached 469, with over 1,300 still missing, including many tourists from various countries. Recovery efforts are complicated by the destruction of infrastructure in the mountainous region. Chinese state media reported that 555 tourists have been evacuated from the disaster zone, while families of missing individuals, including Australians, remain hopeful for their safe return.

South Korean police are set to re-examine approximately 310,000 closed missing persons cases due to a scandal involving an officer accused of falsifying records. The officer, arrested for closing cases prematurely, allegedly misled families of missing individuals, including two who were later found dead. This incident has prompted national scrutiny, with President Lee Jae Myung calling for an investigation and a reform plan for police procedures. The interior minister acknowledged the systemic flaws in handling missing persons, which saw over 70,000 reports last year, with a high closure rate without thorough searches. Current laws only provide special missing status for children and certain vulnerable individuals, limiting investigative tools for adult cases. The review of past cases is expected to conclude by November, with any improperly handled cases reopened for further investigation.