Dozens of US states have accused Facebook and Instagram owner Meta of profiting "from children's pain," damaging their mental health and misleading people about the safety of its platforms.
The suit, filed in the federal court in Oakland, California, adds to growing scrutiny of social media giants over how they serve their youngest users.
What Suit Demands
In total, more than 40 US states are suing Meta, though some opted to file in local courts rather than join in the federal case.
The suit accuses Meta of deceptive and unlawful conduct, harming vulnerable youth for financial gain.
The states are seeking a court order directing Meta to cease the practices at issue and imposing civil fines for each alleged violation of state and federal law.
The legal filing argues that Meta has "exploited" young users by creating a business model designed to maximize time they spend on the platform despite harm to their health.
What Made US States Sue Meta
The idea that social media companies shoulder responsibility for the potential damage their products cause to young people came to the fore late in 2021 when former Meta employee Frances Haugen emerged as a whistleblower with documents about internal operations.
The investigation was launched after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked more than 20,000 pages of internal documents that sparked criticism that the social media giant had put profit before the security of its users.
During testimony to American and European lawmakers in 2021, she insisted that Facebook failed to curtail toxic content and that the company cannot be trusted to change its ways.
Facebook later that year changed its name to Meta in a move critics suspected was intended to distance the company from its social networking controversies.
What Meta Says
Meta said it's committed to keeping teens safe online and has introduced more than 30 tools to support youths and their families.
The firm said it was "disappointed" by the suit and that the states were not working with the array of social media companies to create age-appropriate standards.
It maintained that it has developed more than 30 tools in its apps to support teenage users, and made it easier for parents to "shape" online activity.
Meta contended that the attorneys generals have singled out the firm instead of seeking industry-wide solutions given the popularity of rivals including TikTok, YouTube and Snap.
