Why states claim Meta designed addictive features for children
Meta is facing allegations that it knowingly designed Instagram and Facebook to keep children and teenagers hooked, even as it learned about the potential harm to their mental health. A spokesperson called the claims unsubstantiated, saying the company stands by its record of protecting minors. Amna Nawaz discussed the landmark trial with Bloomberg tech reporter Alexandra Levine.
A group of states is suing Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, alleging the tech giant knowingly designed its platforms to be addictive for children and teenagers, causing potential harm to their mental health. The states claim Meta's features, such as infinite scroll, constant notification alerts, and aggressive data collection, were intentionally crafted to keep users engaged for as long as possible, harvest personal information, and prevent public awareness of these issues.
Meta's attorneys argue the claims are unsubstantiated and emphasize the company's efforts to protect minors, including default privacy settings and age restrictions for under-18 accounts. However, critics contend these measures are insufficient given the prevalence of underage users signing up with false birthdates. The trial's outcome could result in significant financial penalties, potentially reaching $200 billion, and may compel Meta to make substantial changes to its platform design.
Written by urgent.news from PBS NewsHour's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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