Dozens of US states on Tuesday accused Facebook and Instagram owner Meta of profiting “from children’s pain,” damaging their mental health and misleading people about the safety of its platforms.
Meta has exploited young users by creating a business model designed to maximize time they spend on the platform despite harm to their health, the legal filing argued. “Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable,” James said.Meta said it was “disappointed” by the suit and that the states were not working with the array of social media companies to create age-appropriate standards.
The legal complaints resulted from a nationwide investigation announced in November of 2021, according to California attorney general Rob Bonta.