Rhode Island, Massachusetts among states suing Meta for harmful features targeting children
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island and Massachusetts are among 41 states suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in California claimed Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, knowingly collected information from users under 13 without parental consent and shared it with other media moguls.
Attorney General Peter Neronha said Tuesday the complaint alleges that Meta knew of the harmful impact its platforms had on young people, and tried to mislead the public about those issues rather than take steps to decrease them.
“Today in America, our young minds face a mental health crisis fueled by social media use, in particular Meta’s products Facebook and Instagram,” Neronha said. “As alleged, Meta profited from monetizing these platforms and their addictiveness, leading to catastrophic results including suicide, devastated families, and the damaged potential of a generation.”
“Just like Big Tobacco did a generation ago, Meta has chosen to maximize its profits, at the expense of public health and specifically the health of the youngest among us. For that, there must be accountability, and today’s action is the first step in this important fight,” he said.
While the evidence for the complaint is considered confidential, Neronha said Meta profited off of making apps like Instagram and Facebook addictive to children and teenagers.
The bipartisan lawsuit marks the latest attempt by states to rein in large tech companies over fears that their apps ae fueling a spike in youth depression rates.
