N.J., 41 other states sue Facebook, Instagram for harming kids’ mental health

Authorities in 42 states, including New Jersey, are suing the parent company of Facebook and Instagram — Meta Inc. — accusing the social media giant of fueling a national youth mental health crisis with features designed to addict teens and children.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said Tuesday the suit seeks to “once and for all hold Meta and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, accountable for deceptive, manipulative practices on Instagram and Facebook that they knew were harmful” to young people.

In a statement, Meta said it was “disappointed that 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 wide-ranging, 233-page complaint also accuses the social media platforms of collecting data from children without their parents’ consent in violation of federal law.

“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens,” the complaint states. “Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms.”

Social media use is ubiquitous among teens in the U.S., with up to 95% of youth aged 13 to 17 having some online presence, according to the Pew Research Center.

Experts say social media is exposing children to harmful content, including violent and sexual imagery, and intensifying the harms of bullying at a crucial developmental stage. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared the situation a “youth mental health crisis.”

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, stemmed from an investigation co-led by authorities in New Jersey following revelations the company ignored alarm bells about its products’ harm on children and teens — particularly young girls.

“As New Jersey’s state’s chief law enforcement officer and as a parent, I feel strongly that there is nothing more important than ensuring the well-being of our children,” Platkin said Tuesday.

“And we know that in the era of social media, their mental health has never been more at risk.”

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