United States v. Meta Platforms, Inc., f/k/a Facebook, Inc., 1:22-cv-05187 (S.D.N.Y.)

Summary

After a HUD charge of discrimination, the Justice Department sued Meta on June 21, 2022, alleging that its housing advertising system discriminated under the Fair Housing Act, including through ad-delivery algorithms that relied in part on characteristics protected by the Act. The court approved a settlement and entered final judgment on June 27, 2022. Meta stopped using its Special Ad Audience tool for housing ads, built a Variance Reduction System to reduce demographic disparities in housing ad delivery, agreed not to offer targeting options tied to protected characteristics, and paid a civil penalty of $115,054, the maximum then available under the Act. Once the parties agreed compliance metrics, the agreement's term ran four years from its effective date, with compliance reports published by the Justice Department.

Key dates

1. June 21, 2022Filed
2. June 27, 2022Resolved
3. October 16, 2026Checked against sources
4. October 21, 2026Checked against sources

Developments are added when the record is reviewed. Next review: October 16, 2027.

Evidence

Each passage is quoted from its source. The quoted passages are re-checked against the live pages every month.

1. On June 27, 2022, the court approved the parties' settlement agreement and entered a final judgment in United States v. Meta Platforms, Inc., f/k/a Facebook, Inc. (S.D.N.Y.). The complaint , which was filed on June 21, 2022

   Supports: filing date and settlement approval date

   The settlement also required Meta to pay a civil penalty of $115,054, the maximum penalty available under the FHA at the time of the settlement.

   Supports: civil penalty

   United States v. Meta Platforms, Inc., f/k/a Facebook, Inc. (S.D.N.Y.) U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division Primary source

2. Case 1:22-cv-05187 Document 1 Filed 06/21/22 Page 1 of 39

   Supports: correct docket number and filing date

   Complaint, United States v. Meta Platforms, Inc., ECF 1 U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. (via DOJ) Primary source

3. the term ofthe Settlement Agreement will be extended to four (4) years from

   Supports: four-year extended term

   Settlement Agreement and Final Judgment, United States v. Meta Platforms, Inc. U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y. (via DOJ) Primary source