“Addiction and mental health damage in young people”, dozens of states sue the company “Meta”
Dozens of states sued Meta, the company that owns the Instagram social network, because of the mental health problems it was causing to young people every day.
“Much of the legal complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public. As a parent, I am horrified by what I have read,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin.
In a federal lawsuit filed in California by 33 attorneys general, the states allege that Meta’s products have harmed minors and contributed to a mental health crisis in the United States.
“Meta has profited from the pain of children by deliberately designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem,” said Letitia James, the attorney general for New York, one of the states of included in the federal lawsuit.
“Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable.”
The state of Florida sued Meta in its own separate federal lawsuit, alleging that it misled users through Instagram about the potential health risks of its products.
According to the lawsuit, Meta’s social networks have caused youth depression, anxiety, insomnia, negative impact at school and other negative outcomes.
