Thirty-three U.S. states have banded together to file a lawsuit in California against the tech giant Meta, accusing the company of contributing to the ongoing mental health crisis among young Americans.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, has been dishonest about the addictive and compulsive nature of social media technology.
“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens,” the lawsuit alleges. “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 lawsuit cites research that determined frequent use of Meta’s social media platforms “is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes.” Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Meta of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by unlawfully collecting data of children users without the consent of parents.
In response to the lawsuit, Meta said the company shares the attorneys general’s “commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online,” but is “disappointed” at the legal action being taken.
“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,” Meta said.
This litigation comes on the heels of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issuing an advisory in June that highlighted concerns about the impact of social media, particularly on the mental health of the nation’s youth. The advisory outlines actions that can be taken to “mitigate the risk of harm and make social media safer and healthier for children and youth.”
