Dozens of US states, including California and New York, have filed lawsuits against Meta Platforms Inc., accusing the company of harming young people’s mental health and exacerbating the youth mental health crisis. The lawsuits allege that Meta knowingly and deliberately designed features on Instagram and Facebook to addict children to its platforms.

The lawsuit, filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. Nine attorneys general are also filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41, along with Washington, D.C.

According to the complaint, Meta has concealed the ways in which its platforms exploit and manipulate teenagers and children, who are its most vulnerable consumers. The lawsuits seek financial damages and restitution, as well as an end to Meta’s practices that violate the law.

New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that social media companies like Meta are to blame for the record levels of poor mental health among kids and teenagers. She accused Meta of intentionally designing platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.

In response to the lawsuits, Meta stated that it shares the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe and positive online experiences. The company claimed to have introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families. Meta expressed disappointment in the decision of the attorneys general to pursue legal action instead of working with companies in the industry to establish clear, age-appropriate standards for apps used by teens.

The federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from several states. The investigation followed reports by The Wall Street Journal in 2021, which revealed that Meta knew about the harmful effects of Instagram on teenagers’ mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited by the newspaper found that 13.5% of teen girls stated that Instagram worsened thoughts of suicide, while 17% said it worsened eating disorders.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that Meta had been harming children and teens and cultivating addiction to boost profits. He emphasized that the lawsuit aimed to draw a line against such practices.

The use of social media among teens is widespread in the US and many other parts of the world. Pew Research Center reports that almost all teens between the ages of 13 and 17 in the US use a social media platform, with about a third saying they use it almost constantly. While social media platforms are required to ban kids under 13 from signing up, many children easily bypass these restrictions, both with and without their parents’ consent.

The states’ complaint alleges that Meta knowingly violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data on children without informing or obtaining permission from their parents. Other measures implemented by social platforms to address concerns about children’s mental health can also be easily circumvented. For example, TikTok introduced a default 60-minute time limit for users under 18, but minors can simply enter a passcode to continue using the platform once the limit is reached.

TikTok, Snapchat, and other social platforms that have also faced criticism for their impact on youth mental health are not included in Tuesday’s lawsuit. Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb did not comment on whether they are investigating those platforms. Currently, the focus is on the Meta empire, which encompasses Facebook and Instagram. Schwalb described Meta as the worst offender when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media for the sake of profits.

In May, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on tech companies, parents, and caregivers to take immediate action to protect children from the harms of social media.