It’s the first state to sue the social media company on these allegations.

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Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha has filed a lawsuit against Meta over the company's handling of scam advertisements. The suit alleges that the social media business does not do enough to prevent fraudulent ads on its platforms. It further claims that Meta has not taken stronger action against those scams because they generate revenue for the company.

"For a company that engages so many Rhode Islanders and Americans, maintaining high standards for consumer safety should be of the utmost importance," Neronha said. "As alleged, Meta knowingly exposed vulnerable users to fraud and scams, and made enormous profits in doing so.…