42 States Sue Meta, Accusing it of Exploiting Young Users, Fueling Mental Health Crisis

SAN FRANCISCO – A group of 33 states have sued Meta, accusing the social media giant of contributing to “a national youth mental health crisis” by exploiting children and teens using a stream of addictive images and videos on its platforms.

In an Oct. 24 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit says Meta knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram, Facebook, and its other social media platforms that purposefully addict children and teens.

Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without informing parents or obtaining parental consent, in …