Last week, 33 states joined together to sue Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, saying that the social media giant’s products damage children’s mental health. Another eight states, plus the District of Columbia, filed suits in their own states over similar issues.
The main lawsuit alleges that Meta exploits teenagers by developing algorithms that keep them on the platform as long as possible. It also presents content in a scrolling format that makes it hard for young people to get off.
I’m not sure if Meta is 100 percent responsible for teenagers’ addiction to their cell phones, but I like the fact that states are acknowledging how social media can impact student well being. Also, as a teacher, kids using cell phones in the classroom prevents learning.
It’s alarming how often teenagers are on social media. Fifty-one percent of them spend at least four hours a day on apps such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), according to a recent Gallup survey.
The lawsuit, filed by 33 state attorneys general, also contends that Meta shares data about children under 13 without their parents’ consent, which violates federal privacy laws.
Meta states its platforms are providing teens with safe, positive experiences. It has introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families, including regular reminders encouraging teens to take breaks from platforms like Instagram. It says that states should be working to develop standards for platform use by teenagers.
It’s essential we find way to limit the number of hours teens spend on social media. They should be talking to each other face-to-face, reading books and magazines, and just hanging out. Any concrete suggestions about how we can break kids’ addiction to their cell phones and make old-fashioned activities like I did as a kid attractive?
Jennifer Nelson 
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