Parent company Facebook in court in the US due to social media addiction

U.S. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who made the ruling, is overseeing hundreds of lawsuits alleging that social media companies (including YouTube and TikTok) have profited from young people’s addiction to their products. The judge’s ruling only concerns the charges brought against Meta by 34 prosecutors from different states.

Prosecutors allege Meta has not removed harmful features from its social media platforms, despite research showing that Facebook and Instagram use is linked to depression and other mental health issues in young people. They also claim that Meta has unlawfully collected data from children under the age of thirteen.

Tiktok

Tiktok was sued for similar claims in October. Several states accuse the company of misleading users with its child safety features and using harmful features to keep children on the platform longer. A Tiktok spokesperson called those claims “false and misleading.”

A spokesperson for Meta said the company disagrees with the judge’s ruling and stated that the group has developed “numerous features to support parents and teens.” The spokesperson pointed to the new Teen Accounts, which were announced last month. With these accounts, Instagram users under the age of sixteen are automatically shielded from strangers and only followers can see their photos, videos and messages. In addition, Instagram does not show this group messages or images with “sensitive content” and they receive warnings if they are on the platform for more than an hour.