Alex Castro is the illustrator of thechorus image.
A group of state attorneys general have announced an investigation into the techniques used by Meta to increase the engagement of children and teens on social media. The company is accused of doing this by officials from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Vermont.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the company's own documents show "Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls." The company is unlikely to change its habit of putting profits ahead of people's well-being according to a Facebook whistle blower. The company may have broken consumer protection laws in its attempt to keep people on the photo sharing site.
Ohio's attorney general is suing the state separately, accusing the company of misleading the public about its products' effects on children. Meta said the suit was without merit and pushed back against the reports from outlets like the WSJ, saying that the research published lacked context.
Some of the attorneys general involved in the investigation were involved in an effort earlier this year to convince Meta to stop working on an account for kids. The company had previously announced that it was working on a version of the social network for people under the age of 13 and would later say that it was just using work on it. The company had forfeited the benefit of the doubt when it came to protecting young people online, and it must completely abandon the project, argued Senate and House lawmakers.
Meta is worried about young people not using its products.
The company has made it clear that it wants to focus on the younger generation and that it is struggling to attract and keep the attention of teens and 20-somethings. In October, Mark Zuckerberg said that he wanted to serve young adults.
Massachusetts Attorney General Healey said in a press release that Meta failed to protect young people on its platforms and instead chose to ignore or double down on known manipulation that pose a real threat to physical. She promised that the coalition would get to the bottom of the company's engagement with young users, identify any unlawful practices, and end these abuses for good.
