In what could be a landmark moment in the world of tech, attorneys general in 41 states and Washington, D.C., are suing Meta for knowingly endangering children and getting them addicted to Facebook and Instagram, despite statements to the contrary.
Colorado and California are leading the charge with a joint lawsuit that includes 33 other states. They allege that Meta “harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens,” according to the lawsuit. The District of Columbia and eight other states have filed separate lawsuits against the company.
The lawsuits from dozens of attorneys general claiming that Meta violated consumer protections laws evoke the kind of landmark legal actions taken against Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, says Hilary Robinson, associate professor of law and sociology at Northeastern University. If successful, these cases could be transformative for how tech companies are held accountable for consumer protection.
