California and 32 other states accuse Meta of being a platform that harms minors

California and 32 other states have filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, accusing the social media platforms of harming minors. The 233-page lawsuit was filed in the Northern District federal court of California, alleging that Meta has violated state consumer protection laws and federal laws aimed at safeguarding the privacy of children under the age of 13. Other states, including Florida, Utah, and Vermont, have also filed separate lawsuits, bringing the total number of states and the District of Columbia taking legal action against Meta to 41.

This legal action highlights how states are trying to address the mental health risks that may arise from social media platforms, including issues of body image, anxiety, and depression. California and other states hope that Meta will change its practices by altering default settings and limiting the amount of time young individuals spend on the apps, thus reducing the potential harm caused by dangerous videos and images.

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, while many teenagers are increasingly quitting Facebook, Instagram remains popular among teenagers in the United States, with approximately 22 million teenage users on a daily basis.

The amount of time teenagers spend on social media has become a growing concern, particularly as platforms employ algorithms to recommend content they believe users will enjoy. In 2022, attorneys general nationwide began investigating TikTok, which may pose risks to young individuals.

TLDR: California and 32 other states have filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the social media platforms of Facebook and Instagram harm minors. The states aim to address mental health risks arising from these platforms and hope that Meta will change its practices to reduce potential harm. Instagram remains popular among teenagers, and the amount of time spent on social media is increasingly concerning. Authorities are also investigating TikTok for its potential risks to young individuals.