Meta Platforms Inc., the company behind social media giants Facebook and Instagram, is now in the legal crosshairs of 42 U.S. states. Led by a team of lawyers from both sides of the political aisle, these states are suing Meta, claiming that the company has deliberately designed its platforms to hook young users. This, they argue, is contributing to the troubling rise in mental health issues among youth.
Filed in a federal court in California, the lawsuit also accuses Meta of breaking the law by collecting data on kids under 13 without getting permission from their parents. The legal complaint pulls no punches.
“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens,” the claim states as reported by the Associate Press.
“Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms.”
The states argue that Meta is exploiting its youngest and most vulnerable users—children and teenagers—for financial gain.
New York Attorney General Letitia James didn’t mince words either. She said, “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame.”
She accused the company of making money “from children’s pain” by designing features that “make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”
This lawsuit didn’t come out of nowhere. It follows a series of eye-opening reports that started with The Wall Street Journal last fall. Those reports were based on Meta’s own internal studies, leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen. One study found that 13.5% of teen girls said Instagram made them think more about suicide, and 17% said it made their eating disorders worse.
Meta, for its part, has defended itself by saying that it’s committed to keeping teens safe online. The company said it’s already rolled out more than 30 tools aimed at supporting teens and their families.
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Meta criticized the legal move by the states, saying, “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.”
The lawsuit reveals just how widespread social media use is among young people. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly all American teens—95% of those aged 13 to 17—use some form of social media.
More than a third say they’re on social media “almost constantly.” Even though the law says kids under 13 can’t sign up for these platforms, many do anyway, sometimes even without their parents knowing.
The lawsuit comes a few months after the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a stark warning. He urged tech companies, parents, and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” to protect kids from the harmful effects of social media.
So, what’s at stake here? This lawsuit adds another layer of pressure on big tech companies like Meta to seriously tackle the mounting concerns about their influence on the mental health of young people.
It’s a legal battle that could have far-reaching implications, not just for Meta, but for the entire tech industry, as it faces its role in society’s well-being.
