Meta Sued by Multiple US States Over Negative Impact on Youth Mental Health

Lawsuits allege Meta's intentional addiction of children to maximize profits and violation of federal privacy laws; Critics draw parallels to the 1990s' Big Tobacco legal battles.

33 US states have filed a joint lawsuit against Meta, accusing it of intentionally addicting kids and teens to its social media platforms, having a negative impact on their mental and physical health.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta deliberately presents young users with content that will provoke intense reactions, which leads to compulsive use of the platforms, thus making it highly addictive.
The suit draws parallels with the Big Tobacco lawsuits of the 1990s, with allegations that Meta has put profit over public health, akin to tobacco companies' tactics.
The strongest element of the case is the argument that Meta has violated the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by tracking the online activity of children under the age of 13 without obtaining explicit parental consent.
Critics argue that the use and design of social media platforms, likened to digital cigarettes, prompt users to keep returning, leading to the possibility of regulating social media in the same way tobacco was regulated after the 1990s litigation.