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Copier ink costs government contractor Accenture $1.7M settlement

WASHINGTON — Arlington, Virginia-based government contractor Accenture Federal Services agreed to pay more than $1.7 million to settle overcharges billed to the General Services Administration as part of a multiple award schedule contract, according to the Department of Justice.

Accenture self-reported to overbilling as part of a government investigation.

The resolution followed a disclosure by the company to the U.S. Army Contracting Command, after an internal investigation by Accenture. It said the overcharges were caused by unauthorized purchases of copy toner made surreptitiously by a subcontractor on the contract.

Neither the subcontractor nor the Army contract involved was disclosed.

Accenture also provided assistance during the government’s investigation, the Justice Department said.

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Army Criminal Investigation Command.

The civil claims settled are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability, the Justice Department said.

Accenture Federal Services is a subsidiary of global consulting company Accenture LLP.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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