Facebook hit with privacy suit

Facebook has described the latest legal action as 'without merit'

A group of former Facebook users is suing the social networking site for allegedly misusing photos and profile information.

Three adults and two minors claim in a suit filed in Orange County, California that Facebook misappropriated posted information and violated California privacy laws. The plaintiffs have asked that the suit be brought to trial before a jury.

Among the charges are that Facebook reposted copyrighted images without approval, and allowed personal information to be posted and shared by minors without parental consent.

"Facebook's interface and web site architecture causes users to believe and understand that personal information and photos uploaded to Facebook are private," reads the filing.

"Users may be unaware that data they submit, or that data others submit about them, may be extracted and then shared, stored, licensed or downloaded by other persons or third parties they have not expressly authorised."

Facebook has said that the case is without merit, and that it will fight the charges.

The suit is the latest headache for the company, which angered users earlier this year after implementing new terms and conditions.

In 2007 Facebook again caused user uproar stemming from privacy concerns over its ill-fated Beacon advertising platform.