Meta “disappointed” in a federal lawsuit over depression in kids linked to Instagram

The attorneys general of 33 states – including California and New York – filed a complaint in the Oakland federal court; they are suing Meta and particularly the Instagram unit.

Reuters has the story: the states’ accusations involve claims that Meta is fueling a youth mental health crisis by making their social media platforms addictive.

The attorneys general said Meta 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."

Not everything is about money

For years, there’ve been criticisms over dubious social media practices and the way they affect kids at fragile and impressionable ages.

There’s more to that, though – the states that filed the lawsuit said research has associated children's use of Meta's social media platforms with “depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes”.

Meta said it was "disappointed" in the lawsuit: "Instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path," the company said.

"Meta did not disclose that its algorithms were designed to capitalize on young users' dopamine responses and create an addictive cycle of engagement," the complaint said and reminded that last year, Meta distanced itself from a 14-year-old girl’s suicide in the UK, after she was allegedly exposed on Instagram to content about suicide and self-injury.