40 States Sue Meta For ‘Damaging’ Children’s Mental Health

(CTN News) – There is a lawsuit being filed by over 40 US states against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging the company is profiting from children’s pain, causing mental harm and misleading the public about the safety of its platforms.

As a result of Meta’s constant desire to maximize its financial gains, the company has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers associated with its Social Media Platforms, according to a joint lawsuit filed in a federal court in California.

According to the legal filing, Meta has exploited young users by creating features that were designed to allow them to spend more time on its platforms, despite harming their health as a result.

There is a record number of kids and teenagers suffering from poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame for this, said Letitia James, the NY Attorney General in a statement released today.

There is no doubt that Meta has profited from children’s suffering by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to the platforms and lower their self-esteem at the same time.”

As part of the lawsuit, Meta is accused of deceptive and illegal conduct that harms vulnerable youth for financial gain, and it is urging the federal court to order the company to cease manipulative tactics and pay significant financial penalties, along with restitution, for its conduct.

According to James, social media companies, such as Meta, have contributed to the mental health crisis that is affecting young people across the nation, and they must be held accountable for their actions.

According to Meta, she expressed disappointment over the suit, arguing that the states should work with social media companies in order to establish age-appropriate standards for the use of social media.

There are more than 30 tools in apps that are designed to support teenage users and make it easier for parents to determine what type of activity their children engage in online.

In November 2021, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked internal documents that revealed concerns about user security at Facebook, triggering a nationwide investigation into the company’s practices.

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