Meta Under Fire as California Claims It Knew Facebook and Instagram Could Harm Teens
Meta is being accused of being aware of some of the effects of its Facebook and Instagram features on teens, yet still targeting teens as customers of its platforms.
The allegations were brought by attorneys for California in a significant trial in the United States in Oakland, where 29 states are suing Meta for its handling of children and teens online.
California’s attorneys cited internal Meta documents and studies submitted to the jury that showed the company knew of possible dangers of extended social media use and its impact on adolescent wellbeing.
In opening statements, one internal document was reportedly presented that showed some teenagers had a bad experience on Instagram, and other research by the company looked at the link between the use of the platform, engagement and wellbeing.
The state’s attorneys said the evidence would reveal that there was a disconnect between what Meta knew internally about potential risks and what it told the public about the safety of its platforms for young people.
The case is especially relevant for child protection as children and young people are potentially more at risk from online harms and may not be able to identify when their use of digital platforms is becoming unhealthy.
The states say that Meta did not take sufficient measures to keep children under 13 years old from using its platforms and breached federal and state laws governing children’s privacy.
They want billions of dollars from the company and changes to Facebook and Instagram, including limitations on features like like counts and infinite scrolling.
Meta has responded to the allegations. Its attorneys have disputed the notion that its apps are addictive and have contended that the evidence also reveals that many teens have positive or neutral experiences on Instagram.
The trial may have broader implications for the design of social media platforms for children and the accountability of social media companies to protect children.
