California and over 30 other states have filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, alleging that the social media platforms exploit young users for profit and expose them to harmful content. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, adds to the growing scrutiny faced by social media giants regarding their treatment of young users.
Lawyers for the states claim that Meta has utilized powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice and engage youth and teens, ultimately ensnaring them. They argue that the company's primary motive is profit, and in their pursuit of financial gains, Meta has consistently misled the public regarding the significant dangers associated with its social media platforms.
In response to the lawsuit, Meta stated its commitment to ensuring the safety of teenagers online and highlighted the introduction of over 30 tools aimed at supporting young users and their families. The company expressed disappointment with the chosen legal path of the attorneys general, suggesting that collaboration across the industry to establish clear, age-appropriate standards would have been a more productive approach.
Responsibility for the potential harm caused to young people by social media products has gained significant attention since former Meta employee, Frances Haugen, emerged as a whistleblower in late 2021. Haugen provided internal documents that alleged Meta knowingly targeted vulnerable young individuals to maximize profits. Notably, a leaked internal study at Instagram revealed evidence of depression and anxiety related to body-image issues among adolescent girls using the platform. Haugen's testimony to Congress is cited as evidence in the current lawsuit.
Meta, along with other social media giants such as Snap, TikTok, and Google, now face hundreds of lawsuits attributing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and sleeplessness to addiction to their platforms. They have also received numerous complaints from school districts, acting on behalf of students, arguing that the companies have created a public nuisance.
While the companies have claimed to provide additional resources to support young users online, they argue that the lawsuits inappropriately seek to regulate content. However, the lawsuit filed by the states maintains that Meta continues to downplay the adverse effects of its platforms on young users, despite allegedly conducting internal studies that revealed significant harm associated with prolonged usage by children and teenagers.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta collects personal information about users under the age limit who have not provided parental consent, in violation of their own regulations. Moreover, the company is accused of targeting younger users through marketing schemes, including advertisements featuring actors who appear to be children using their platforms.
The lawsuit also highlights child-oriented accounts on both Facebook and Instagram, featuring iconic toys like Hot Wheels and Lego, as well as popular children's television programs like PAW Patrol and Bluey.
The states are seeking a court order to compel Meta to cease the mentioned practices and impose civil fines for each violation of state and federal laws.
This lawsuit follows a similar one filed by Arkansas against Meta in March of this year.
Aside from legal action, states are also attempting to restrict how social media platforms target young users. New York is considering legislation that would require companies to obtain proactive permission for children to use their platforms overnight, while Utah has implemented measures requiring platforms to verify users' ages and implement specific restrictions for minors. California recently passed a bill that increases the legal liability of social media companies for allowing child abuse to persist on their platforms.