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Instagram Faces Lawsuit By U.S. States, Accused Of Contributing To Youth Mental Health Issues

Dozens of U.S. states are taking legal action against Meta Platforms (META.O) and its subsidiary Instagram, alleging that these social media giants have contributed to a youth mental health crisis due to the addictive nature of their platforms. In a complaint filed in the Oakland, California, federal court on Tuesday, 33 states, including California and Illinois, claim that Meta, which also oversees Facebook, has repeatedly deceived the public regarding the significant risks associated with its platforms. The lawsuit contends that the company knowingly enticed young children and teenagers into compulsive and addictive social media use.

The complaint argues, "Research has shown that young people’s use of Meta's social media platforms is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes." This lawsuit is just one in a series of legal actions taken against social media companies on behalf of children and teenagers. ByteDance's TikTok and Google's YouTube are also the subjects of hundreds of lawsuits filed concerning the addictive nature of social media.

The lawsuit alleges that Meta has harnessed potent and unprecedented technologies to engage and captivate youths and teenagers, with profit as their primary motive. The legal action seeks various remedies, including substantial civil penalties. In response to the lawsuit, Meta stated, "We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path." After the states' lawsuit was made public, Meta's shares saw a slight decline, dropping by 0.3 per cent. 

Much of the scrutiny surrounding Meta stems from the release of documents in 2021, revealing that the company had data indicating that Instagram, initially a photo-sharing app, is addictive and exacerbates body image issues for some teenage girls. The lawsuit alleges that Meta deliberately designed its platforms to manipulate dopamine responses in young users to maximize the time spent on them, all while publicly denying the harmful effects of its social media.

Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Meta violated a law that prohibits the collection of data from children under the age of 13. This state action aims to address the gaps left by the U.S. Congress's inability to pass new online protections for children despite years of discussions.

The lawsuit also accuses Meta of attempting to extend these harmful practices into the realm of virtual reality, including Meta's Horizon Worlds platform and communication apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, "Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits."

Attorneys general for New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. have also filed related lawsuits in local courts, and seven other states are expected to file similar lawsuits. In total, 42 of 50 US states are involved in suing Meta over these allegations. Social media companies, including Meta, are already grappling with numerous lawsuits brought on behalf of children and school districts, all making similar claims.

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