A group of 41 attorneys general from dozens of states are filing lawsuits claiming Meta Platforms Inc. built addictive features in its Facebook and Instagram services that harm children.
The lawsuits in federal and state courts allege Meta
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knowingly marketed its products to users under the age of 13, who are barred from the platform by both Meta’s policies and federal law. The states are seeking to force Meta to change product features that they say pose dangers to young users.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Northern California, claims Meta, “has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens.” Meta has “profoundly altered the psychological and social realities of a generation of young Americans,” the suit also said.
The lawsuit also accuses Meta of violating the law by collecting data on users under 13 without parental consent. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the suit was the result of a multiyear investigation.
Meta said it was “disappointed” with the legal action.
“We share the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families,” a Meta spokesman said in an email. “We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry, the attorneys general have chosen this path.”
Meta’s stock was flat in late-afternoon trading Tuesday.
