US States Sue Meta Over Impact of Its Platforms on Children

Meta is facing a major court challenge over claims that its social media platforms have harmed young users, with a jury trial involving 29 US states set to begin on Tuesday.

The states, including California and New York, filed the lawsuit in 2023. They accuse Meta of violating federal and state laws designed to protect children and teenagers online. The states are seeking billions of dollars in damages and want the company to make major changes to how Instagram and Facebook operate.

The case could have a major impact on Meta if the states win. The company could be required to change features that are central to how millions of people use its platforms.

The states want Meta to introduce parental verification for teenage users and change recommendation systems they describe as “dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms”. They also want the company to remove some image filters that change users’ appearances, stop videos from playing automatically and prevent young users from creating multiple accounts.

Other demands include ending disappearing posts, such as Instagram Stories, and reducing features that encourage teenagers to spend more time on the platforms.

The states argue that Meta designed many of these features to keep users, including children, coming back to Instagram and Facebook for longer periods. They say frequent notifications and other features make it difficult for young users to take breaks from the platforms.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said the states would try to prove that Meta knew its products could harm young people but failed to act because keeping users engaged was more profitable.

“We’ll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable,” Coleman said.

He described the case as part of a wider effort by state attorneys general to hold large companies responsible for harm to the public.

Meta has strongly rejected the allegations. A company spokeswoman said the company disagrees with the claims and believes the evidence will show its commitment to supporting young people.

“We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” she said.

The case will be heard by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, a senior federal judge in California. She has served on the bench for almost 20 years and is known for taking a direct approach to major technology cases.

Previous court loss

The lawsuit comes as Meta faces growing legal pressure over the impact of social media on young people.

In a recent case in New Mexico, a judge fined Meta $942m and ordered it to make several changes to Instagram and Facebook. The measures include removing like counts for users under 18, restricting teenagers from sending or receiving nude images and limiting push notifications to certain hours.

The judge also described Meta as a “public nuisance”, comparing its impact to that of a factory that pollutes the environment.

Meta has said it will appeal the New Mexico ruling.

If the 29 states win their case, however, the impact could be much greater. The states involved represent nearly two-thirds of the US population, meaning Meta could be forced to introduce similar changes across the country.

Concerns over ‘likes’

One major issue in the case is the use of “like” counts. The states argue that these numbers can encourage social comparison and negatively affect young people’s mental health.

Evidence presented in court has included research conducted by Meta itself. The company’s research reportedly found that Instagram’s use of likes could encourage users to compare themselves with others. The research linked this type of comparison to “increased loneliness, worse body image, and negative mood or affect”.

The case also includes testimony from young people who say they experienced negative effects from social media.

One young woman, identified as Kaley, previously won a lawsuit against Meta. She told the court that she created several accounts on Instagram and YouTube when she was nine years old so she could generate likes on her own posts. She said she became focused on gaining approval from other users and later experienced depression.

Former Meta executive and children’s online safety advocate Kelly Stonelake has also questioned whether legal action alone will lead to major changes inside the company.

Source: BBC