Injunction relief from Meta for allegedly using self-destructive images on the social media app “Facebook” and its public consumption app

Under local and state consumer protection laws, the attorneys general are seeking financial penalties from Meta. The District of Columbia and the states are asking for injunctive relief to force the company to stop using certain tech features that they claim have harmed young users.

A version of its popular app would be designed for users younger than 13, when Facebook announced it was going to create an app for that. The news prompted a backlash among concerned lawmakers and children’s groups.

Regulators tried to hold the companies responsible for the harms they may have caused. In Britain, the coroner ruled that the death of a teenager who took her life after seeing thousands of self-destructive images on the platform was a result of her use of the platform.

More than 30 states joined a federal suit against Meta. Other attorneys general, including Tennessee and Washington, D.C., filed similar legal actions on Tuesday in state courts.

More than 40 states paint a picture of a company that brushed aside safety concerns about its products in order to be able to be more profitable by addicting as many young people as possible.

Is Facebook Really Helping Teens? Limitations on Section 230 Defects in the U.S. Social Media Apparatus

Generally, social media companies are immune from being held legally responsible for content generated by users under a law known as Section 230 that for decades has protected the tech industry.

“I think that it’s a very close call as to whether Meta would succeed with a Section 230 defense,” said Jeff Kosseff, a Section 230 scholar and author of the new book, “Liar in a Crowded Theater: Freedom of Speech in a World of Misinformation.”

Similar defective design claims against tech companies have been met with mixed results in the courts, with some judges allowing cases to move forward despite Section 230 and other courts throwing suits out because of the powerful legal shield.

In a statement, Meta spokeswoman Nkechi Nneji said the company shares the s commitment of the states to providing teens with a safe, positive experience online. She said the company has introduced a number of features to support young users and their families.

“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” Nneji said.

In one internal finding the paper surfaced in its 2021 Facebook Files investigation, 32% of teen girls who felt bad about their bodies said using Instagram made them feel worse.