Meta to face lawsuits as states claim he hooked kids on social media | world news

The attorneys general have argued that despite research showing that Facebook and Instagram use is associated with depression and other mental health problems, Meta will not remove harmful features from the platforms. They also claimed that Meta illegally collected data from children under the age of 13. In October, TikTok was sued over similar claims in 13 state courts and in Washington, DC. The states accused the company of misleading users about its child safety tools and using harmful features to keep children on the platform longer to maximize profits. A TikTok spokesperson called the claims “inaccurate and misleading.”

A Meta spokesman said the company disagrees with the overall ruling, although it welcomes the dismissal of some claims under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a longstanding federal law that protects Internet companies from lawsuits.

“We’ve developed numerous tools to support parents and teens, and recently announced that we’re significantly changing the Instagram experience for tens of millions of teens with new teen accounts, a protected teen experience that limits automatically who can contact them and what content they see,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We believe the evidence will demonstrate our commitment to supporting young people.”

Meta shares fell about 1 percent after the ruling to $581.77 before rising to $586.27 at the close of New York trading.

Rogers said Meta’s “alleged years-long public campaign of deception about the risks” of social media addiction and harm to children’s mental health is a potential violation of state and federal anti-business practices laws misleading and unfair. But he said section 230 “provides quite a significant limitation on such claims”.

Section 230 prevents states from challenging certain features of the platform, such as “infinite scrolling” and displaying likes on a post, Rogers said. But states can challenge “appearance-altering filters” that allegedly promote body dysmorphia among young people, he said, while refusing to dismiss claims about the company’s failure to warn about the known risks of addiction

The judge also ruled on individual personal injury lawsuits filed against major social media platforms filed on behalf of hundreds of children, teens and young adults. It concluded that some claims based on violations of consumer protection laws can continue.

Lexi Hazam and Previn Warren, lead lawyers for the plaintiffs, praised the decision, saying it confirms that the companies “must face our claims that they failed to warn of significant risks to the safety and mental health of users , and that they engaged in deceptive marketing and business tactics.”

The social media companies also face hundreds of lawsuits from public school districts alleging the platforms have created a public nuisance. The companies won a ruling in June that dismissed claims brought by some districts in state court in Los Angeles. Rogers has yet to rule on a request to file consolidated cases in his court.

The case is People of the State of California v. Meta Platforms Inc., 4:23-cv-05448, US District Court, Northern District of California (Oakland).

First post: October 16, 2024 | 9:44 AM IST