(WNY News Now) – New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with 32 attorneys general, has filed a federal lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the company designed and deployed harmful features on its social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, that addict children and teens, while also collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal law.
Washington D.C. – New York Attorney General Letitia James, in collaboration with a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general, has filed a federal lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit alleges that Meta’s platforms have negatively impacted the mental health of young people and contributed to a growing youth mental health crisis.
The core accusation in the lawsuit is that Meta knowingly developed and deployed features that were designed to addict children and teenagers. These features include algorithms intended to recommend content that encourages prolonged platform use, social comparison features like “likes,” and incessant alerts meant to keep young users engaged with the platforms throughout the day and night, even during school hours. Additionally, visual filter features and content presentation formats were identified as contributing to body dysmorphia and discouraging young users from self-regulation.
Meta has been accused of misleading the public by claiming that its features were not manipulative and that its platforms were safe, despite its internal knowledge of the potential harm they could cause. Various studies, including Meta’s own research, have demonstrated links between the use of Meta’s platforms and negative psychological and physical effects in young users, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, and interference with education and daily life. Internal documents leaked by a whistleblower indicate that Meta was aware of these serious harms for years, despite public denials.
The lawsuit also asserts that Meta violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by unlawfully collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. Although Meta marketed its platforms to children under 13, it refused to obtain parental consent before collecting and monetizing their data. The lawsuit claims that Meta knew that very young children were part of its user base and business model but failed to limit the collection and use of their sensitive data as required by law.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and the coalition of attorneys general are seeking to halt Meta’s harmful tactics, as well as impose penalties and seek restitution for the harm caused to young users. A total of 42 attorneys general, including nine from different states, have taken legal action against Meta.
In addition to the federal lawsuit, attorneys general from Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and the District of Columbia are filing their own lawsuits in state courts.
This legal action follows Attorney General James’ recent efforts to hold social media companies accountable and protect children online. Earlier, she, along with other lawmakers, introduced legislation aimed at safeguarding children from the harmful effects of addictive social media platforms.
The lawsuit was handled by Assistant Attorney General Nathaniel Kosslyn of the Bureau of Internet and Technology, led by Bureau Chief Kim Berger and Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell. This bureau is part of the Division of Economic Justice, overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
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