Facebook and Instagram owner sued by 33 U.S States for making social media addictive to kids
33 states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for allegedly creating features on Instagram and Facebook that allow children to use their platforms, knowingly targeting youth mental health issues and youth mental health. health.
The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, also alleges that Meta violated federal law by collecting information from children under the age of 13 without parental consent. “The poor health of children and teens is at an all-time high, and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Meta takes advantage of children’s poverty. The features that give children their platforms while minimizing themselves.”
The general indictment was prepared with a lawsuit filed from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Nevada. It is the result of an investigation conducted by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys from Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont. “Research has shown that youth using the Meta social media platform is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative factors,” the complaint said.
This is a follow-up to a damning article first published by The Wall Street Journal in the fall of 2021, which was based on Meta’s research and revealed that the company was aware of the mental and emotional ill effects Instagram could have on young people, especially teenagers. women.
An internal study found that 13.5% of teens said Instagram made their suicidal thoughts worse, and 17% said Instagram made their eating disorders worse. Following the publication of the first report, media outlets, including the Associated Press, published their findings based on information presented by expert Frances Haugen and appearing as evidence before the US Congress and the UK parliament. In the United States and many parts of the world, youth social media use is nearly universal.
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According to the Pew Research Center, a whopping 95% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 use social media platforms, and more than a third say they use social media “almost always.” Social media companies ban children under 13 from signing up for their platforms to comply with federal law — but it turns out kids can easily bypass restrictions by volunteering, with or without parental permission, and many kids have social media. accounts.
Other measures taken for children’s mental health problems on social platforms can also be easily affected. For example, TikTok recently set a 60-minute time limit for users under the age of 18. However, once the limit is reached, children only need to enter the passcode to continue watching. In May, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to “take immediate action to protect children” on social media. Various remedies are sought in the case, including large fines.
Meta said it is committed to keeping young people safe online. “We are disappointed that the Attorney General chose this path instead of working closely with companies in the industry to develop clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps used by young people,” the company said in a statement.
