Social media firms head to court over harms to children's mental health
AP News • • business
Key Points:
- Major social media companies including Meta and TikTok are facing federal and state trials over allegations that their platforms harm children's mental health through addictive design and failure to protect from harmful content and predators.
- Two key trials are underway in Los Angeles and New Mexico, with the Los Angeles case focusing on addiction and featuring testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, while the New Mexico case targets Meta over sexual exploitation risks on its platforms.
- Plaintiffs liken these lawsuits to past cases against tobacco and opioid industries, aiming to challenge legal protections like the First Amendment and Section 230 that shield tech companies from liability.
- School districts are also suing social media companies, arguing that addictive features harm children’s developing brains similarly to opioid addiction, seeking accountability for negligence
