In a groundbreaking legal move, attorneys general from 33 states have united to file a lawsuit against Meta, Facebook’s parent company. The lawsuit contends that Meta is deliberately targeting children, causing harm to their well-being.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta) for its harmful business practices that target children and teens. https://t.co/ZK796Df9q8
— WSIL News (@WSILNews) October 24, 2023
Initiated in California, this case has garnered support from a bipartisan coalition of attorney generals who share deep concerns about the practices of Mark Zuckerberg’s media conglomerate. They argue that Meta’s actions have had a detrimental impact on young people.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta intentionally harms children by negatively affecting their mental health. It claims that Meta unlawfully collects personal information from children under the age of 13 through Facebook and Instagram, thus violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
This extensive 233-page lawsuit goes further, asserting that Meta has harnessed advanced technologies to entice, engage, and trap children and teenagers.
Furthermore, it accuses Meta of prioritizing profits over children’s health, contending that the company consistently misleads the public about the significant risks associated with its social media platforms. The attorney generals claim that Meta conceals how these platforms exploit and manipulate their most vulnerable users.
The lawsuit places particular emphasis on Instagram, a platform that attorney generals argue has negatively impacted the mental well-being of at least half of American teenagers. According to the complaint, Meta uses Instagram to manipulate teenagers into joining the platform and keeps them engaged through algorithms that shape their perceptions.
This lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of California and seeks penalties, restitution, and a court order to compel Meta to change its current practices. It enjoys broad support from attorney generals across the country, representing states from New York to Kansas.
In response to the lawsuit, a Meta representative issued a statement to NBC News, denying the allegations and asserting Meta’s commitment to providing a safe online environment for teenagers and their families.
