<p>The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider an appeal by Facebook that would have derailed a $15 billion lawsuit over whether it illegally tracked users about a decade ago.</p>.<p>The nation's top court issued an order denying a request by the leading social network to review a California federal court's decision to allow the litigation accusing Facebook of violating wiretap laws.</p>.<p>Facebook did not respond to a request for comment.</p>.<p>It had argued in court filings that it was a legitimate "party" for exchanges involving digital content received from software tools such as "like" or "share" buttons plugged into other websites.</p>.<p>"Rather than eavesdropping on a separate communication, the communication with Facebook contained distinct content intended for Facebook," the leading social network said in a legal filing.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/facebook-says-it-disabled-130-crore-fake-accounts-in-october-december-last-year-964989.html" target="_blank">Read | Facebook says it disabled 130 crore fake accounts in October-December last year</a></strong></p>.<p>US wiretap law makes it illegal to snoop on electronic communications unless one is a party to the exchange.</p>.<p>The suit accuses Facebook of wrongly tracking users away from the social network, then making money from the data by selling it to marketers for targeting ads.</p>.<p>The class action lawsuit consolidated more than 20 related cases filed in an array of US states in 2011 and early 2012 and seeks more than $15 billion on behalf of members of the world's largest social network.</p>.<p>Facebook has since changed the way it uses software snippets such as like and share buttons that gather information about users' internet activities.</p>.<p>The Silicon Valley tech giant added that allowing the case to proceed would have "sweeping, and detrimental consequences."</p>.<p>Critics and regulators have repeatedly taken aim at Facebook over user privacy.</p>
<p>The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider an appeal by Facebook that would have derailed a $15 billion lawsuit over whether it illegally tracked users about a decade ago.</p>.<p>The nation's top court issued an order denying a request by the leading social network to review a California federal court's decision to allow the litigation accusing Facebook of violating wiretap laws.</p>.<p>Facebook did not respond to a request for comment.</p>.<p>It had argued in court filings that it was a legitimate "party" for exchanges involving digital content received from software tools such as "like" or "share" buttons plugged into other websites.</p>.<p>"Rather than eavesdropping on a separate communication, the communication with Facebook contained distinct content intended for Facebook," the leading social network said in a legal filing.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/facebook-says-it-disabled-130-crore-fake-accounts-in-october-december-last-year-964989.html" target="_blank">Read | Facebook says it disabled 130 crore fake accounts in October-December last year</a></strong></p>.<p>US wiretap law makes it illegal to snoop on electronic communications unless one is a party to the exchange.</p>.<p>The suit accuses Facebook of wrongly tracking users away from the social network, then making money from the data by selling it to marketers for targeting ads.</p>.<p>The class action lawsuit consolidated more than 20 related cases filed in an array of US states in 2011 and early 2012 and seeks more than $15 billion on behalf of members of the world's largest social network.</p>.<p>Facebook has since changed the way it uses software snippets such as like and share buttons that gather information about users' internet activities.</p>.<p>The Silicon Valley tech giant added that allowing the case to proceed would have "sweeping, and detrimental consequences."</p>.<p>Critics and regulators have repeatedly taken aim at Facebook over user privacy.</p>