Over 40 US states have filed a joint lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, accusing the tech giant of causing harm to children’s mental health and misleading the public about the safety of its social media platforms.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta has engaged in deceptive and unlawful conduct to profit from vulnerable youth and is responsible for a national youth mental health crisis.
New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”
The lawsuit calls for Meta to stop manipulative practices, pay significant financial penalties, and provide restitution.
Meta expressed disappointment with the lawsuit and noted that it has developed over 30 tools to support teenage users and facilitate parental control of online activity.
The legal complaints stem from a nationwide investigation launched in 2021, prompted by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s leak of internal documents indicating the company’s prioritization of profit over user safety.
Meta has faced increased scrutiny regarding the impact of social media on youth mental health, with accusations that the platforms contribute to issues such as addiction, self-esteem problems, and poor mental health in young users.
The lawsuit is part of an ongoing conversation about the responsibilities of social media companies in protecting the mental health and well-being of their users, particularly youth.
The outcome of this lawsuit may have implications for how social media companies approach user safety, particularly in their efforts to protect younger users and address the potential negative impacts of their platforms on mental health.
