More than three dozen states are suing Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook, alleging the tech giant uses features intended to hook young people on its apps and that the company has violated consumer protection and child safety laws.
The lawsuits represent the most significant attempt so far to hold the tech giant accountable for the impact of social media on the mental health of young people.
“For a long time, there have been essentially no constraints on what Facebook could do,” says Jeffrey Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy, a group that advocates for increased internet regulation. “This is a much-needed intervention.”
Here are five things you need to know to understand the lawsuits and their importance.
More than three dozen states are suing Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook. They allege the tech giant uses features intended to hook young people on its apps. They also allege that the company has violated consumer protection and child safety laws.
The lawsuits represent the most significant attempt so far to hold the tech giant accountable for the impact of social media on the mental health of young people.
“For a long time, there have been essentially no constraints on what Facebook could do,” says Jeffrey Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy, a group that advocates for increased internet regulation. “This is a much-needed intervention.”
Here are five things you need to know to understand the lawsuits and their importance.