42 States Sue Meta Alleging Facebook, Instagram Have Addictive Features, Are Harmful to Children

42 States Sue Meta Alleging Facebook, Instagram Have Addictive Features, Are Harmful to Children

SAN FRANCISCO — Attorneys general for 42 U.S. states filed lawsuits Tuesday against Meta, alleging the company has knowingly implemented features in its Facebook and Instagram platforms in order to cause app use addiction among children.

Thirty-three states — both Republican and Democrat-led — filed a lawsuit in federal court in California, where Meta is headquartered. Nine more attorneys general filed lawsuits in their respective states.

According to an Associated Press report, the federal lawsuit “also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law.”

The complaint alleges that Meta “has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms. It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James went further in her rhetoric, claiming that Meta “has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”

Meta reacted to the lawsuits in a statement, stating the company is “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.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Russian Lawmakers Call for Age Verification

Two Russian lawmakers have called on the country’s government to implement age verification for adult content.

British Documentary Spotlights XBIZ Amsterdam With Candid Conversations

British creator and host Josh Pieters traveled to XBIZ Amsterdam to film a documentary about the annual European adult industry conference.

XBIZ 2026 to Debut 'New Talent Go-See' Special Event

XBIZ 2026, North America’s premier adult industry conference, will debut a special event designed to help new talent jump-start their careers: the New Talent Go-See.

Penthouse Announces Digital Archive Launch

Penthouse Magazine has announced that it will launch a comprehensive digital archive in 2026.

Dreamcam Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Dreamcam has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for August, September

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in August and September.

AV in Focus: A Guide to Unlocking Compliance With Clarity

The age verification era isn’t coming — it’s here. Laws are already on the books in numerous U.S. states, as well as in the U.K., France and beyond.

Canadian Privacy Commissioner Endorses National AV Bill

Philippe Dufresne, privacy commissioner of Canada, has voiced support for a bill that would impose fines of up to $500,000 on adult sites that do not implement age verification for Canadian viewers.

Ricky Johnson Launches 'Ricky's Resort' Through YourPaysitePartner

Ricky's Room studio honcho Ricky Johnson has launched his latest site, RickysResort.com, through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Industry Attorney Paul Cambria Retires After 50 Years of Practicing Law

After more than a half-century in practice, during which he provided the defense in some of the adult industry's most notable legal cases, attorney Paul Cambria has retired.

Show More