Many states sue Meta for targeting vulnerable children with ‘addictive’ features.
Over 30 U.S. States Join Lawsuit Against Instagram and Meta for Damaging Mental Health of Young Users
More than 30 U.S. states have united in a lawsuit against Instagram and its parent company Meta, alleging that the company has harmed the mental health of its younger users.
In a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California with the support of 33 bipartisan attorneys general, the complainants accused Meta, formerly known as Facebook, of deliberately implementing addictive features targeting younger children.
“Meta’s design choices and practices take advantage of and contribute to young users’ susceptibility to addiction,” the complaint reads. “They exploit psychological vulnerabilities of young users through the false promise that meaningful social connection lies in the next story, image, or video and that ignoring the next piece of social content could lead to social isolation.”
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“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens,” the complaint continues. “Its motive is profit.”
The lawsuit highlights research that shows a connection between the use of these platforms and negative outcomes such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and interference with education and daily life.
The lawsuit also asserts that Meta violated various state-level consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which prohibits companies from collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.
“This is a tough time in America,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “We have polarization the likes of which we have not seen since the Civil War. And so for all of the attorneys general from both parties, people who frequently disagree very vocally and very publicly, to all come together and to move in the same direction, I think that says something.”
Meta’s impact on the younger generation gained significant attention following a 2021 report from The Wall Street Journal, which revealed internal research leaked by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. The research exposed how Instagram worsened body image concerns among certain adolescent girls.
“While Meta has publicly denied and downplayed these harmful effects, it cannot credibly plead ignorance,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a press release.
“Meta’s own internal research documents show its awareness that its products harm young users. Indeed, internal studies that Meta commissioned—and kept private until they were leaked by a whistleblower and publicly reported—reveal that Meta has known for years about these serious harms associated with young users’ time spent on its platforms.”
In addition to the federal case, eight additional attorneys general from across the United States filed individual lawsuits also accusing the company of failing younger users.
Meta expressed disappointment with the lawsuits, suggesting that the states should collaborate with them to protect younger people.
“We share the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families,” the company said in a statement.
“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.”
Meta is not the only company facing potential legal consequences. Google and ByteDance are also confronting numerous lawsuits filed on behalf of minors and educational institutions, citing the addictive nature of platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
If the lawsuit is successful, Meta could face civil fines ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 per violation of various state regulations.
This is not the first time Meta has faced lawsuits regarding its manipulation of younger users. In March of this year, the San Mateo County Board of Education filed a similar complaint, stating that young people in America were experiencing their “most serious mental health crisis” in recent times.
“Powerful corporations who wield unmatched, highly concentrated technology in pursuit of profit are knowingly creating this unprecedented mental health crisis. YouTube, Snap, TikTok, Meta, and their related companies have carefully cultivated the crisis, which is a feature—not a bug—of their social media products,” the plaintiffs wrote.
“Even with only a small glimpse into what the YouTube, Meta, TikTok, and Snap companies know about this crisis, the public can now fairly conclude that the social media defendants’ conduct was no accident, but rather that defendants acted knowingly, deliberately, and intentionally.”
What steps has Meta taken to address concerns about the impact of social media on young people?
On our platforms,” Meta said in a statement. “We have taken significant steps to address concerns about the impact of social media on young people, from investing in new features aimed at promoting well-being to helping parents and guardians navigate their children’s online experiences. We are firmly committed to building a safer and more positive digital environment for all users, and we believe the best way to achieve this is through collaboration and cooperation between industry, government, and civil society.”
The lawsuit against Instagram and Meta comes at a time when the effects of social media on mental health, particularly among young users, have become a subject of increasing concern. Studies have shown a correlation between excessive social media use and negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality. Additionally, the addictive features of these platforms and the constant exposure to carefully curated content have been found to contribute to feelings of social isolation and a distorted sense of reality.
The attorneys general involved in the lawsuit argue that Meta deliberately designed these addictive features to target younger users, taking advantage of their vulnerability and susceptibility to addiction. They also allege that the company violated consumer protection laws and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which seeks to safeguard children’s personal information online.
The case against Instagram and Meta gained traction after internal research conducted by Meta itself, leaked by a whistleblower, revealed the company’s awareness of the harmful effects of its platforms on young users. This research showed that Instagram exacerbated body image concerns among certain adolescent girls and raised serious questions about Meta’s responsibility and ethical practices.
The fact that attorneys general from both political parties have joined forces in this lawsuit underscores the urgency and gravity of the issue. It highlights the growing consensus among policymakers that action must be taken to protect young users from the potentially harmful effects of social media.
Meta’s response to the lawsuits suggests that the company is committed to addressing these concerns and ensuring the safety and well-being of its users, particularly younger ones. However, the attorney generals argue that Meta’s actions have not been sufficient, and legal action is necessary to hold the company accountable.
As the lawsuit progresses, it will be important to closely examine the evidence presented and the arguments put forth by both sides. The outcome of this case could have significant implications not only for Meta and Instagram but for the broader social media industry as a whole. It may set a precedent for future regulation and oversight of these platforms to protect the mental health and well-being of young users.
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