Washington Takes on Meta Over Youth Safety & Psychological Concerns

Washington has taken a firm stance against Meta, the umbrella company for Facebook and Instagram. The state’s Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, revealed that Washington is taking legal action against the tech giant. This move isn’t isolated; 41 other state Attorneys General are also stepping forward with lawsuits.

According to the filed complaint, Meta is alleged to have rolled out product features that negatively affect young users psychologically. These features purportedly push the youth towards extended and compulsive platform use. While these activities transpired, Meta allegedly gave the public assurances of safety. The suit highlights a few key accusations against Meta:

• Deliberately misleading the public about potential platform risks.
• Hidden attempts to target vulnerable consumers, specifically children and teenagers.
• A blatant disregard for the harm being inflicted upon the young user base.
• Continued deployment of features they knew to be harmful.

The extensive 233-page document, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accuses Meta of infringing state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Among those pursuing the tech behemoth, 33 states are unified in the federal lawsuit. Conversely, seven states alongside Washington, D.C., have chosen to file in their state courts. Meanwhile, Florida is presenting its own separate federal claim.

In response, a representative from Meta communicated the company’s dissatisfaction with the move. The spokesperson mentioned, “We share the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.” They added their disappointment, expressing that the AGs could have collaborated with the industry to draft clear, age-specific guidelines for apps.

The primary objective of the lawsuit is to obtain a “permanent injunction” to curb Meta’s alleged ongoing COPPA violations and to avert potential future breaches. Additionally, it seeks damages, restitution, and other compensations.

Washington’s stance is particularly robust. Ferguson is seeking penalties which may amount to $12,500 for every identified violation of Washington’s state laws. He is also demanding Meta to forfeit any monetary gains, property, and data procured due to the alleged misconduct.