Authorities in most US states accuse the Meta conglomerate of causing a number of problems for the youngest users of social networking sites. The owner of Facebook and Instagram now faces a difficult fight in the courts as part of at least several lawsuits, including one collective one.
Lawsuits from 33 US states. It’s about the “harmful influence” of Instagram
, 33 US states, including California and New York, filed a lawsuit in Oakland, California, against Meta, accusing the social media giant of “fueling the mental health crisis among young people” by “making them addicted to social media.” According to authorities in these states, Meta uses “powerful and unprecedented technologies” to encourage young users to use its platforms even though it knows they are addictive. “Motive [Mety – red.] there is profit,” the lawsuit states.
Reuters explains that children are an attractive demographic group for owners of social media platforms because not only are they easy to attract to a new product, but they are also more susceptible to influence and quickly become attached to the brand. The growth of the platform with the help of young users can therefore dynamically increase the number of advertisers and, as a result, the revenues of the owner of the social media platform.
However, research cited by 33 states in the lawsuit linked the use of Meta’s social media platforms to the occurrence of “depression, anxiety, insomnia, disruptions in education and daily life” and many other (negative) effects in children. The authors of the lawsuit also stated that Meta “exploits and manipulates” those “most vulnerable consumers”, i.e. children and teenagers. Meta said it was “disappointed” with the lawsuit. She added that the state authorities did not approach her to jointly develop “clear, age-appropriate standards in applications”, but immediately chose court.
This is the beginning of Meta’s problems. More states are filing lawsuits
As if that wasn’t enough, the class action lawsuit filed by these 33 states is just the beginning of Meta’s problems. Nine separate lawsuits on the same issue were filed by eight other U.S. states and the city of Washington, DC (which is not part of any state). Thus, Meta will have to fight a simultaneous dispute with as many as 41 (out of 50) states and the capital of the United States itself. And this is probably not the end of possible legal consequences that may threaten the owner of Facebook and Instagram in the future.
As journalist Sylwia Czubkowska stated on the website The authors of the lawsuits demand from the Meta conglomerate “financial compensation and compensation” and “cessation of practices violating the law” –
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
