The Pursuit of Veracity: California Accuses Meta of Touting Falsehoods

COUNT III: FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENTS BY META IN VIOLATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE SECTION 17500 (BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA)

865. The People of the State of California (California) reallege and incorporate herein by reference each of the allegations contained in the preceding paragraphs 1 through 859 as though fully alleged in this cause of action.

866. From a date unknown to California and continuing to the present, Meta has engaged in and continues to engage in acts or practices that constitute violations of California Business and Professions Code section 17500 et seq., by making or causing to be made untrue or misleading statements with the intent to induce members of the public to use Meta’s platforms when such statements were likely to mislead members of the public about the nature and safety of Meta’s platforms. Meta’s untrue or misleading representations include, but are not limited to, the representations described in paragraph 846.

867. At the time the untrue or misleading representations were made, Meta knew or by the exercise of reasonable care should have known that the representations were untrue or misleading.

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