'Addictive, manipulative': Here's why over 40 states in US are suing Meta

The lawsuit follows the release of documents in 2021 that showed that Meta had data showing that Instagram was addictive and worsened body image issues for some teen girls

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Dozens of states in the United States of America are suing Facebook and Instagram parent Meta, accusing the company of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately integrating features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

In a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, 33 states, including California and Illinois, said Meta has knowingly induced young children and teenagers into compulsive social media use and misled the public about the substantial dangers of its platforms. Nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, DC.

What does the suit against Meta demand?

The suit accuses Meta of deceptive conduct to maximise its financial gains. It says that Meta has repeatedly deceived the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms. According to the attorneys general, Meta has cloaked the methods and processes using which these platforms manipulate teenagers and children. The suit seeks financial damages, substantial civil penalties, and an end to Meta's practices violating the law.

Here is what the states said in the lawsuit

-The suit says Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens.

- "As recently as 2020, Meta continued to intentionally design its platforms to manipulate dopamine responses in its young users to maximise time spent on its platforms. Meta did not disclose that its algorithms were designed to capitalise on young users' dopamine responses and create an addictive cycle of engagement," the complaint said.

- New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health, and social media companies like Meta are to blame. By intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem, Meta has profited from children's pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features.

-Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. With today's lawsuit, we are drawing the line, she added

- "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," the complaint said.

Why is Meta facing this lawsuit?

The federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from across the states. It follows the release of documents in 2021 that showed that Meta had data showing that Instagram was addictive and worsened body image issues for some teen girls. The Wall Street Journal, in 2021, published reports based on Meta's own research that found that the company knew about the harm Instagram can cause teenagers - especially teen girls - when it comes to mental health and body image issues. According to the suit, Meta endeavours to ensure that teenagers spend as much time as possible on social media despite knowing that teenage brains are susceptible to the need for approval in the form of "likes" from other users about their content.

Meta's response

The tech company said it shares the attorneys general's commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online and has introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.

Meta said it was "disappointed" the attorneys general have chosen this path instead of working with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use.