Attorneys general from 33 different states announced on Tuesday that they are suing Facebook’s parent company Meta, claiming the company’s behavior is targeting children.
The lawsuit was filed in California and has been endorsed by a bipartisan group of AGs who say they are concerned Mark Zuckerberg’s media empire has engaged in business practices that have harmed young people.
The Associated Press reported the attorneys general are alleging Meta intentionally targets children in a manner that undermines their mental health.
A copy of the lawsuit shared by the AP claims Meta uses both Facebook and Instagram to illegally collect personal information from children under 13.
The lawsuit alleges the collection of personal data violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
Among other complaints, the 233-page suit alleges Meta “has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens.”
The lawsuit further accuses the company of disregarding the health of children to maximize profits and “has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms.”
“[Meta] has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children,” the attorneys general say.
Much of the lawsuit focuses on Instagram, which the attorneys general said is or has been used by at least half of American teens often to the detriment of their mental well-being.
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Per the complaint, Meta uses Instagram to manipulate teens into coming onto the platform and staying there by using its algorithms to shape their perceptions.
The attorneys general say Instagram’s use of a never-ending “feed” results in children being “teased” to spend time on the platform.
The platform’s “Reels” feature, which is similar to TikTok, is also cited as a means to keep children on the servers.
Reels are a never-ending series of videos that Meta’s algorithms curate for users based on their interests.
The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of California and is seeking penalties, restitution and a ruling from a court to force Meta to end its current practices.
The lawsuit was endorsed by attorneys general from coast to coast and from officials representing states from New York to Kansas.
A representative for Meta denied the claims in the lawsuit in a statement that was provided to NBC News on Tuesday.
“We share the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families,” Meta said.
The company added, “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.”
