Dozens of US states accused social media giant Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, of deceptive and unlawful conduct harming vulnerable youth for financial gain “from children´s pain”.
“In seeking to maximise its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its Social Media Platforms,” argued a joint lawsuit filed in federal court in California.
Meta has exploited young users by creating a business model designed to maximise the time they spend on the platform despite harm to their health, the legal filing argued.
“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement announcing the suit.
The suit urges the federal court to order Meta to stop manipulative tactics and pay hefty financial penalties along with restitution, according to James.
“Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable,” James said.
A few states have passed laws barring social media from allowing minors without parental permission.
Meta ‘disappointed’ by suit
Meta said it was “disappointed” by the suit and that the states were not working with the array of social media companies to create age-appropriate standards.
Meta maintained that it has developed more than 30 tools in its apps to support teenage users, and made it easier for parents to “shape” online activity.
The Silicon Valley tech firm contended it is disappointing that attorneys general have singled out Meta instead of seeking industry-wide solutions given the popularity of rivals including TikTok, YouTube and Snap.
