Thirty-three states have filed a lawsuit against Meta with accusations that the company prioritized profit over safety, especially among young users.
33 States Sue Meta
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court of California. It stresses that the company unlawfully misled the general public regarding the harms brought about by its products, such as Instagram and Facebook, on youth and children. It notes that in the past decade, Meta has greatly altered the social and psychological realities of a young American generation and claims that Meta is a contributor to the youth mental health crisis.
It further alleges that the company knowingly released incentives and features that bolster harmful actions among young users, such as failing to take away bullying or eating disorder content and allowing users to like posts.
The complaint further claims that Meta keeps on gathering data on children below 13 years old without receiving any parental consent, which is a federal law violation.
It seeks restitution and financial damage as well as the conclusion of the company's practices that violate the law.
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How Social Media Platforms Affect Mental Health
In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James explains that social media firms like Meta are to blame for the poor mental health faced by children and youth. The attorney stresses that the company has gained from the pain of children by deliberately designing their platforms with manipulative features that boost addiction and dampen self-esteem.
Social media use among the youth is almost universal across the United States and several other areas over the world. Nearly all adolescents from 13 to 17 years old across the US use a social media platform.
Using social media can affect sleep quality and mental health. It has also been linked to anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression.
A 2015 survey discovered that teenagers spend up to 9 hours online every day. As several of these individuals are concerned about the time they spend in social media, this further suggests how these platforms could impact mental health of those who use the,
A 2017 study further confirmed this by noting that students who spend over 2 hours daily on social media are more likely to give mental health ratings of poor or fair, compared to those who use the platforms occasionally.
Another study in 2019 linked social media usage to sleep disruptions and delays. As having high quality and regular sleep is crucial for well-being, evidence has shown that sleeping problems could lead to adverse effects on mental health.
Aside from this, social media could also trigger mental health issues through cyberbullying exposure. According to a 2020 survey that covered over 6,000 individuals whose ages ranged from 10 to 18 years old, half of the participants were found to have experienced cyberbullying.
Not to mention, in US, a survey revealed that there was a 25% suicide attempt increase among adolescents from 2009 to 2017. While social media may not have played a direct role in this, the period matches the growing use of social media platforms. Another 2021 study also found that girls who spend over two hours in social media every day from the age of 13 had a higher risk of adult suicide.
Another study in 2019 suggests that adolescents who spend over three hours daily on social media are more likely to have mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, antisocial behavior, and aggression.
While there are also clear positive effects of social media use, all these population-based and national surveys and studies all show that social media use can negatively impact mental health.
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