Meta's Instagram linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia in kids - US states' lawsuit

Reuters ^ | 10/24/23 | By Jonathan Stempel, Diane Bartz and Nate Raymon

[DallasBiff]

Oct 24 (Reuters) - Dozens of U.S. states are suing Meta Platforms (META.O) and its Instagram unit, accusing them of fueling a youth mental health crisis by making their social media platforms addictive.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday, the attorneys general of 33 states including California and New York said Meta, which also operates Facebook, repeatedly misled the public about the dangers of its platforms, and knowingly induced young children and teenagers into addictive and compulsive social media use

"Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens," according to the complaint filed in the Oakland, California federal court. "Its motive is profit."

Children have long been an appealing demographic for businesses, which hope to attract them as consumers at ages when they may be more impressionable, and solidify brand loyalty.

For Meta, younger consumers may help secure more advertisers who hope children will keep buying their products as they grow up.

[DallasBiff]

I don't get it, Zuckerberg, is one of the radicals best friends.

I guess maybe some conservative ideas are getting through.

Surprised, they didn't go after Elon Musk first, also where are the parents.

[tomkat]

‘Social’ media is a term that would make Orwell proud.

[Pajamajan]

Bookmark

[drSteve78]

A significant part of social media is vile, destructive, hateful, and so much propaganda.

[fruser1]

The states want their cut of social media money. That’s all this is. They’re probably looking for an Master Settlement Agreement thing like they have w/tobacco companies

[Moltke]

When are they going to go after almost all media outlets for driving young people psychotic over “global warming” (aka climate catastrophe, etc.). The long term damage to society from that will be epic...in a very bad way.