Some states claim that Facebook and other social media companies led to the mental health crisis of youth
New York’s Attorney General Rejoinds Social Media Company Designs to Prevent Child Abuse and adolescence: The Case of Meta
New York’s Attorney General said that Meta and other social media companies were to blame for the suffering of kids and teenagers. “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 group of attorneys general from over 40 states wrote a letter about their experience with the company. They urged the company to stop its plans for Instagram Kids after saying that it had failed to protect children’s welfare.
States began investigating Instagram’s potentially harmful effects on young people several years ago as public concerns over cyberbullying and teen mental health mounted.
More than 30 states joined the federal suit against Meta. Several attorneys general filed legal actions in state courts on Tuesday.
A company that brushed aside safety concerns about its products in order to addict as many young people as possible was portrayed by more than 40 states.
Generally, social media companies are immune from being held legally responsible for content generated by users under a law known as Section 230 that for decades has protected the tech industry.
‘It’s Hard to See How a Social Media Site can Help [Teens in a Crowded Theater]: A State of the Art: The Case for Meta
“I think that it is a close call on whether Meta would be successful with a Section 230 defense,” Jeff Kosseff, a Section 230 scholar and author of the new book, “Liar in a Crowded Theater: Freedom of Speech in a World of Misinformation,” said.
Some judges have allowed cases to move forward despite Section 230 being thrown out by courts, despite the mixed results of similar design claims against tech companies.
Meta shares the commitment of the states to provide teens with a safe, positive experience online, according to spokeswoman Nkechi Nneji. She said the company has introduced a number of features to support young users and their families.
Instead of working to create age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chose this path.
32% of teens who felt bad about their body said using the photo-sharing website made them feel worse, according to one internal finding from the Facebook Files investigation.
A group of attorneys general from over 30 states and the District of Columbia have sued Instagram for allegedly creating a “toxic” environment for teenagers. The group also alleged that Facebook-owned Instagram and its parent company, Facebook, failed to warn users about the risks of their products. Meta is also accused of failing to protect users from harmful content.