In a significant legal move, dozens of US states have initiated lawsuits against Meta Platforms, along with its subsidiary Instagram, accusing them of contributing to a youth mental health crisis through the addictive nature of their social media platforms.
In a complaint filed in the Oakland, California federal court, 33 states, including California and Illinois, have alleged that Meta, which also operates Facebook, has systematically misled the public regarding the substantial dangers associated with its platforms, knowingly enticing young children and teenagers into addictive and compulsive social media use. According to the complaint, “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit.”
The lawsuit seeks various remedies, including substantial civil penalties. Meta responded by expressing disappointment in the approach taken by the attorneys general, emphasizing its efforts to enhance online safety for teenagers and stating, “We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path.”
Much of the scrutiny surrounding Meta stems from the release of documents in 2021, which unveiled that the company possessed data indicating that Instagram, initially a photo-sharing app, was addictive and exacerbated body image issues among some teenage girls. The lawsuit contends that Meta actively promotes extended social media usage among young people, despite being aware of the vulnerability of teenage brains to the need for approval in the form of “likes” from other users. Furthermore, Meta is accused of publicly denying the harmful effects of its social media platforms.
It is worth noting that nine additional states are anticipated to file similar lawsuits, bringing the total number of states involved to 42. This legal action adds to the growing number of lawsuits faced by Meta, as well as other social media companies, on behalf of children and school districts, all raising similar concerns and allegations.
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