Some of Instagram and Facebook’s best-known features, including likes, infinite scrolling, Stories, filters and autoplay videos, are under scrutiny in a lawsuit brought against Meta by 30 US states. The states allege that the company designed its services to keep children and teenagers in front of their screens for as long as possible.
Features at the centre of the lawsuit
According to the BBC, the lawsuit was filed in 2023 by states including California and New York. It alleges multiple violations of federal and state laws concerning child protection and privacy.
The financial stakes are significant. The states are seeking damages that could exceed $1 trillion, along with substantial changes to how Instagram and Facebook operate for minors.
Their demands include hiding like counts from younger users, ending infinite scrolling and introducing parental verification for teenagers.
Recommendation algorithms are also being challenged. The plaintiffs allege that these systems exploit the brain’s reward mechanisms, while filters that alter a user’s appearance have also come under scrutiny.
Other proposed measures include ending video autoplay, restricting the creation of multiple accounts and removing posts that disappear after a set period, such as Instagram Stories.
These functions are currently central to the user experience on both platforms.
Claims that features were designed to increase engagement
The states argue that many of these features were deliberately designed to encourage users, including children and teenagers, to return repeatedly and remain active for longer periods.
The lawsuit also refers to frequent notifications, which the plaintiffs claim draw young users back to the platforms even when they are attempting to reduce their screen time.
Meta is accused of exploiting younger users to increase engagement, expand its user base and support its wider business activities.
The company firmly denies the allegations.
“We strongly disagree with these claims and are confident that the evidence will demonstrate our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” a Meta spokesperson said, according to the BBC.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is presiding over the case in California. She has previously handled several high-profile legal disputes involving technology companies.
New Mexico ruling imposed a $942 million penalty
The case follows a significant ruling against Meta in New Mexico.
According to the BBC, a judge recently imposed penalties totalling $942 million and ordered changes similar to those now being sought by the 30 states.
These included hiding like counts for users under 18, prohibiting teenagers from sending or receiving nude content and restricting push notifications to certain hours of the day.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid also described Meta as a “public nuisance”, comparing the effects of its platforms with those of an industrial activity causing harm across society.
Meta has announced that it will appeal the ruling.
The New Mexico judgment applies only within that state. A defeat in the broader lawsuit could have considerably wider consequences, as the 30 states involved account for almost two-thirds of the US population.
Likes and young people’s mental health
The possible effects of likes and other popularity metrics on the mental health of children and teenagers are another central issue in the case.
The BBC cited the case of a young woman who prevailed in legal proceedings against Meta earlier this year. She testified that, at the age of nine, she created dozens of YouTube and Instagram accounts to like her own posts, seeking greater visibility and a sense of acceptance and validation.
She said she was already experiencing depression at that age and was formally diagnosed when she was 10.
Research in recent years has linked social approval metrics, including like counts, with feelings of rejection and depression among teenagers.
The states are also relying on findings from Meta’s own internal research. According to the material cited in the lawsuit, likes intensified “social comparison”, in which users assess their personal worth by comparing themselves with the images and lives of others.
Meta’s internal findings reportedly linked social comparison on Instagram with increased loneliness, poorer body image and a more negative mood.
If the states prevail, the ruling could require a broad redesign of Instagram and Facebook for underage users and influence how social media platforms are expected to protect children and teenagers.
Source: BBC.
