Wisconsin’s Democratic nominee for governor wants to hold Big Tech accountable for consumer fraud on its platforms.

According to the Consumer Federation of America, Wisconsinites lose an estimated $1.2 billion each year to online scams, with Facebook and Instagram cited as the biggest culprits.

David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive and the Democratic nominee for Governor, said he has seen firsthand the emotional and economic toll, especially on seniors.

"When it comes down to these tech companies, these tech bros have to be held accountable. They're looking to extract as much as possible from different communities all across this country. But it's time that we actually take the bull by this horn and really focus on a level of accountability," Crowley urged.

Meta platforms display on average 15 billion “high-risk” scam ads to users every day, according to a Reuters report. It also says roughly 10% of the company’s overall sales in 2024 came from online ads for scams and banned goods.

Crowley argued the state needs to “have some teeth” to keep residents safe online. He wants to pass legislation to ensure companies like Meta face consequences when platforms are used to target consumers. Meta contended the company aggressively fights fraud and scams but said it is not legally required to prevent third-party criminal acts.

Mounting state and federal litigation — along with a steady erosion of traditional legal immunity shields — have some tech companies scrambling. Speaking at the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans’ gubernatorial candidate interview series, Crowley stressed the rise in artificial intelligence makes potential harms even more urgent.

"Artificial intelligence can be used for good but I see it being used more for creating negative outcomes," Crowley emphasized. "We have to focus on how we actually regulate artificial intelligence when it comes down to not just our privacy but how it's being used to harm our most vulnerable populations."

Crowley criticized the Trump administration for protecting technology companies rather than consumers and called for broad coalition-building because scams affect all demographics, not only older adults.

Wisconsin is currently part of a bipartisan multistate coalition suing Meta in a landmark case over addictive features. It is the latest in a series of actions against social media companies aiming to hold them accountable for the way they design their products.

Source: Public News Service