Facebook accused of failing to provide a 'safe' environment for users

London (CNN Business)Reporters Without Borders has filed a lawsuit against Facebook in France, accusing the platform of failing to provide a “safe” environment for users in violation of its own terms and conditions.The media advocacy group, which is considering filing similar lawsuits in other countries, said France’s consumer law is especially well suited to the issue. Misleading consumers is illegal under French law and companies face fines of up to 10% of their annual sales if found in violation. The suit filed with prosecutors in Paris on Monday argues that Facebook (FB) has engaged in “deceptive commercial practices” by allowing disinformation and threats to flourish despite promising users that it will “exercise professional diligence” to create “a safe, secure and error-free environment.” The group, which is based in Paris and also known by its French initials RSF, said in a statement that the promises made in Facebook’s terms and conditions are “largely mendacious” and contradicted by “the large-scale dissemination of hate speech and false information on its networks.”To support its claims, Reporters Without Borders cites statements from former Facebook employees, two lengthy reports detailing hate speech and threats made against French journalists, the work of fact-checking organizations and examples of…
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