The war of liberation from the captivity of Facebook

Social media platforms are increasingly facing problems due to the uncontrollable freedom of expression and the dependencies they create among users, especially young people. Governments have become more vigilant about the content on these platforms, leading to an increase in regulations and legal proceedings. Initially viewed as innocent sources of entertainment, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter (now X) are at risk of becoming a sort of "public enemy" accused of various wrongdoings. Conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have exposed many of the issues related to freedom and censorship. Health experts' studies are not encouraging for those addicted to social media. The hits keep coming. The latest one comes from the United States. A group of 42 state attorneys general in the United States has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms due to features that create addiction designed for children and teenagers, their offices announced, as reported by CNBC. The support from so many state attorneys general from different political backgrounds indicates a significant legal challenge for Meta, which now faces multiple lawsuits on this issue in various counties. Attorneys general from 33 states have filed a federal lawsuit against Meta in the Northern District of California, while nine other attorneys general are filing complaints in their own states, according to a press release from New York Attorney General Letitia James. These lawsuits are another demonstration of the bipartisan priority that legal authorities place on protecting children and teenagers from online harm. It's not the first time a broad coalition of state attorneys general has teamed up to sue Meta. In 2020, 48 states and territories sued the company on antitrust grounds, along with a separate complaint from the Federal Trade Commission.

Meta designed its products, Facebook and Instagram, to keep young users on them longer and to keep them coming back repeatedly, according to the prosecutors. According to the federal complaint, Meta did this through the design of its algorithms, numerous alerts, notifications, and the so-called infinite scrolling through the platform's feeds. The company also includes features that prosecutors claim have a negative impact on the mental health of teenagers through social comparison or the promotion of body dysmorphia, such as "likes" or photo filters. The federal lawsuit accuses Meta of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal data about users under 13 years old without parental consent. The states seek to end what they see as harmful practices by Meta, as well as sanctions and compensation. The company was aware of the negative effects its design could have on its young users, prosecutors claim.

According to a statement from Letitia James, "While Meta has publicly denied and downplayed these harmful effects, it cannot credibly plead ignorance. Meta's internal research documents show that it is aware that its products harm young users. Indeed, internal studies commissioned by Meta - and kept private until they were disclosed by a whistleblower and reported publicly - reveal that Meta has known for years about these serious harms associated with young users' time on its platforms." A former Facebook employee, Frances Haugen, stirred controversy among lawmakers and parents in 2021 after leaking internal company documents that revealed internal research on its products. A set of documents on the impact of Instagram on teenagers found that "thirty-two percent of teenage girls said that when they feel bad about their bodies, Instagram makes them feel worse," as reported by The Wall Street Journal before Haugen revealed her identity. Following the article, Instagram said it was working on ways to steer users away from focusing on negative topics. Some of the practices that prosecutors are focusing on in the Meta case are similar to those exercised by other social media companies, such as designing algorithms to keep users engaged. States that have filed the federal lawsuit include California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.