33 states, including Nebraska, file federal lawsuit against Meta

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Attorneys general from 33 states, including Nebraska, filed a federal lawsuit in California on Monday against Meta, the parent company of Facebook.

The attorneys say the social media company is harming kids’ mental health.

The lawsuit says Meta knew that the features and design of Facebook and Instagram, like continuous scrolling, enable addiction.

“We know the impact, the correlation between social media use and mental health problems, especially with children,” Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said in a press conference on Zoom.

He said it is “incumbent on us to protect this generation of kids and the next generation of children.”

Meta said in a statement to CNN:

“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.”

Hilgers also said that parents need accurate information on the negative impact that Meta’s products can have on their children’s mental health.

The lawsuit argues that the company repeatedly misled the public by concealing the ways it manipulates many teens and children.