Dozens of states, including Massachusetts, are suing Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for harming young people’s mental health with addictive platforms.The legal action is being announced Tuesday afternoon by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella and their counterparts from California, Colorado, Nebraska and Tennessee. They said a total of 42 states joined in filing state and federal lawsuits throughout the country. The Attorneys General allege that “Meta purposefully designed its popular platforms, Facebook and Instagram, to include addictive features with the goal of enticing and prolonging time children spend scrolling on the platforms,” Formella said. Campbell’s office said their investigation into the social media company dates back to 2021, while now-Gov. Maura Healey was still in the role for Massachusetts. In addition to Facebook and Instagram, Meta is also the parent company of several other popular social media and communication apps, including Threads and WhatsApp. Formella said his lawsuit includes accusations that Meta intentionally deployed addictive design features, made deceptive public statements about the safety of its products and failed to inform parents about the risks posed by use of the platforms. He is seeking to hold Meta liable for the practices and asks the court to require “substantive changes” in how the company operates. Similarly, Campbell’s lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that Meta deliberately uses design features “that Meta knows exploit, psychologically manipulate and induce addictive and problematic use of Meta’s social platforms.”A related federal lawsuit was also filed in California on Tuesday by a group of 33 states. That lawsuit claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law.“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, who joined in the federal lawsuit. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dozens of states, including Massachusetts, are suing Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for harming young people’s mental health with addictive platforms.
The legal action is being announced Tuesday afternoon by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella and their counterparts from California, Colorado, Nebraska and Tennessee. They said a total of 42 states joined in filing state and federal lawsuits throughout the country.
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The Attorneys General allege that “Meta purposefully designed its popular platforms, Facebook and Instagram, to include addictive features with the goal of enticing and prolonging time children spend scrolling on the platforms,” Formella said.
Campbell’s office said their investigation into the social media company dates back to 2021, while now-Gov. Maura Healey was still in the role for Massachusetts.
In addition to Facebook and Instagram, Meta is also the parent company of several other popular social media and communication apps, including Threads and WhatsApp.
Formella said his lawsuit includes accusations that Meta intentionally deployed addictive design features, made deceptive public statements about the safety of its products and failed to inform parents about the risks posed by use of the platforms. He is seeking to hold Meta liable for the practices and asks the court to require “substantive changes” in how the company operates.
Similarly, Campbell’s lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that Meta deliberately uses design features “that Meta knows exploit, psychologically manipulate and induce addictive and problematic use of Meta’s social platforms.”
A related federal lawsuit was also filed in California on Tuesday by a group of 33 states. That lawsuit claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law.
“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, who joined in the federal lawsuit. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.