Meta sued the Federal Commerce Fee yesterday in a lawsuit that challenges the FTC’s authority to impose new privateness obligations on the social media agency.

The criticism stems from the FTC’s Might 2023 allegation that Meta-owned Fb violated a 2020 privateness settlement and the Youngsters’s On-line Privateness Safety Act. The FTC proposed modifications to the 2020 privateness order that might, amongst different issues, prohibit Fb from monetizing knowledge it collects from customers below 18.

Meta’s lawsuit in opposition to the FTC challenges what it calls “the structurally unconstitutional authority exercised by the FTC by its Commissioners in an administrative reopening continuing in opposition to Meta.” It was filed in opposition to the FTC, Chair Lina Khan, and different commissioners in US District Courtroom for the District of Columbia. Meta is in search of a preliminary injunction to cease the FTC continuing pending decision of the lawsuit.

Meta argues that within the FTC’s administrative proceedings, “the Fee has a twin position as prosecutor and decide in violation of the Due Course of Clause.” Meta requested the court docket to “declare that sure basic points of the Fee’s construction violate the US Structure, and that these violations render illegal the FTC Continuing in opposition to Meta.”

Meta says it ought to have a proper to a trial by jury and that “Congress unconstitutionally has delegated to the FTC the ability to assign disputes to administrative adjudication reasonably than litigating them earlier than an Article III court docket.” The FTC shouldn’t be allowed to “unilaterally modify the phrases” of the 2020 settlement, Meta mentioned.

The FTC motion “would dictate how and when Meta can design its merchandise,” the lawsuit mentioned.

Democrats slam “baseless,” “embarrassing” swimsuit

Meta’s lawsuit was criticized by US Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), the rating Democrat on the Home Commerce Committee. “This lawsuit is embarrassing,” Pallone mentioned in an announcement. “It speaks volumes that Meta would reasonably launch a frivolous lawsuit in opposition to the company tasked by Congress with defending American shoppers, particularly our youngsters, than do the intense work wanted to reform their platforms.”

Pallone predicted that Meta will lose the lawsuit and referred to as it “a stunt supposed to distract from the intense considerations concerning Meta’s social media platforms and enterprise practices.”

US Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) issued an identical criticism. “Meta’s baseless lawsuit is a weak try and keep away from accountability for its repeated failures to guard youngsters’ privateness on-line,” Markey mentioned.

The FTC declined to touch upon Meta’s lawsuit when contacted by Ars at the moment.