More than forty US states have filed a lawsuit against tech giant Meta, accusing its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram of causing “physical and mental harm to young people,” according to documents filed in a California court on Tuesday.
The attorneys general from these states, both governed by Democrats and Republicans, claim that Meta “exploited powerful and unprecedented technologies to lure (…) and ultimately ensnare young people and teenagers for profit,” as per the documents accessed by AFP.
The states further allege that the Californian company “concealed how these platforms exploit and manipulate their most vulnerable consumers” and “neglected the significant harm these platforms have caused to the mental and physical health of the youth in our country.”
Meta, responding to the allegations, expressed disappointment, stating that they would prefer working constructively with the industry to establish clear and age-appropriate regulations for the numerous applications used by teenagers.
“We share the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teenagers with safe and positive online experiences, and we have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families,” emphasized a spokesperson for the company.
This legal action follows investigations initiated in 2021 into the practices of Facebook and Instagram, both platforms considered “addictive” by US authorities. The attorneys general decided to take action after former Facebook employee Frances Haugen exposed the company’s practices, leaking over 20,000 pages of internal documents and testifying before various parliaments that the social media giant prioritized profits over user safety.
The lawsuit alleges that Facebook and Instagram’s features were designed to “manipulate young users into compulsive and prolonged use of the platforms.” The states accuse Meta of deceiving the public by claiming their products were safe and suitable for adolescents and “publishing deceptive reports” to that effect.
Additionally, Meta is accused of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The states are seeking court orders to compel Meta to halt these practices and are demanding fines.
While Congress has struggled to agree on legislation to better regulate tech giants concerning issues such as abuse of dominant positions and consumer protection, concerns regarding children tend to unite representatives from both major political parties.
“With today’s legal action, we draw the line that should not be crossed,” stated California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We must protect our children, and we will not back down in this fight.”
Furthermore, several joint cases against major tech companies, particularly for monopoly issues, are currently being processed by various states.