Dozens of US states sue Meta over 'addictive' features and youth mental health harms.

Dozens of states sued Instagram-parent Meta on Tuesday, accusing the social media giant of harming young users' mental health through allegedly addictive features such as infinite news feeds and frequent notifications that demand users' constant attention. In a federal lawsuit filed in California by 33 attorneys general, the states allege that Meta's products have harmed minors and contributed to a mental health crisis in the United States. '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,' said Letitia James, the attorney general for New York, one of the states involved in the federal suit. 'Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable. I am proud to join my fellow attorneys general to stop Meta's harmful tactics and keep children safe online.' Eight additional attorneys general sued Meta on Tuesday in various state courts around the country, following a massive multi-state federal lawsuit against the social media giant alleging the company has harmed users' mental health through addictive technology. Tuesday's multipronged legal assault marks the newest attempt by states to rein in large tech platforms over fears that social media companies are fueling a spike in youth depression and suicidal ideation. It follows a raft of legislation in states ranging from Arkansas to Louisiana that clamp down on social media by establishing new requirements for online platforms that wish to serve teens and children, such as mandating that they obtain a parent's consent before creating an account for a minor, or that they verify users' ages. In some cases, the tech industry has challenged those laws in court - for...