2023-10-25 07:00:00
Rabbit holes, infinite scrolls and near-constant alerts created to maximize engagement are all part of the playbook of hooking users to social media.
They’re also having a devastating impact on children.
That’s the premise of a coalition of 42 atorneys general, including Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, who are suing social media behemoth Meta Platforms Inc. — the company behind Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. The lawsuit contends the company is knowingly designing and deploying these harmful features on Instagram and other social media sites that cater to children.
The attorneys general accuse Meta of violating state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). They are suing the company in federal and state courts.
The lawsuits follow the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory warning that social media presents a profound risk of harm to children and adolescents, including heightened anxiety and depression, self-injury, suicide attempts and completion, eating disorders and poor mental health outcomes.
“We must keep our kids safe—and that includes from dangers online,” Kaul said in a press release Tuesday. “Adequate protections should be in place to protect kids from harms associated with social media, and parents must receive accurate information regarding potential dangers to their kids.”
Attorneys general from across the country maintain that Meta falsely assured the public its platforms were safe and suitable for young users, despite overwhelming internal research, independent expert analysis and publicly available data finding the opposite to be true. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked documents in late 2021 demonstrating that Meta was aware of the risks that Instagram can pose to young people.
Social media’s impact on young people has been an area of concern for many lawmakers in Wisconsin and beyond. Earlier this year, state Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard, authored a proposal called “Wisconsin’s Kids Online Safety Act,” which would create restrictions on Wisconsin minors’ social media accounts between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The bill follows Utah’s social media curfew bill, which Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law on March 23.
Other states joining the federal lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota , Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @natalie_eilbert. If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text “Hopeline” to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741.
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