US states allege Meta's platforms harming kids

More than three dozen states sued Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta on Tuesday, accusing the social media giant of knowingly designing features to lure children to its social platforms, causing addiction and harming young people's mental health.

In a federal lawsuit filed in California by 33 attorneys general, the states alleged that Meta's products have harmed minors and contributed to a mental health crisis in the United States.

Colorado, Tennessee and Massachusetts led the joint lawsuit in federal court in the Northern District of California, along with 30 other states, claiming that the company broke consumer protection laws by using features such as infinite news feeds and regular notifications that attract children, potentially causing mental health crises in the US.

The District of Columbia and eight other states also sued the company for similar reasons in state and local courts.

"Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens," the complaint said. "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 233-page complaint alleged that Meta's strategy involved maximizing young users' engagement through manipulative features while downplaying the harm, despite knowing the adverse effects on their mental and physical health.

The states also alleged that Meta knowingly marketed its products to users under the age of 13, collecting data without parental consent, which violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

"Our bipartisan investigation has arrived at a solemn conclusion: Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits," California Attorney General Rob Bonta, one of the officials leading the effort, said in a statement.

The lawsuits are a result of stalled settlement negotiations with Meta, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company is still under investigation by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys.

"Since this investigation has begun, we have engaged in a meaningful dialogue with the attorneys general regarding the ways Meta already works to support young people on its platforms, and how Meta is continuously working to improve young people's experiences," a Meta spokesperson said.

"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."

Nationwide attention

Meta's impact on young individuals gained widespread attention nationally following a 2021 Wall Street Journal report. The report, based on internal research leaked by former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen, said that Instagram had a negative impact on youth mental health, especially worsening issues related to teenage girls.

It said that 13.5 percent of teen girls said Instagram made thoughts of suicide worse, and 17 percent of teen girls said it made eating disorders worse.

"Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health, and social media companies like Meta are to blame," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. "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 coalition of attorneys is elevating the lawsuit to the federal level and is simultaneously advocating enhanced privacy and safety measures for children.

Agencies contributed to this story.