(ConservativeHub.com) – Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen released thousands of documents about how the company, now named Meta, dealt with various issues from election claims to mental health. Parents and lawmakers alike became enraged with the company’s alleged profit-focused policies. Now, a bipartisan group of state attorneys general has officially launched an investigation into the ethics of Meta, specifically about allegations claiming they use purposeful campaigns to get children and young adults addicted to their apps at the expense of their mental health.
At least 10 states, including Texas and California, have joined a group to investigate and likely prosecute Meta. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said that the company has knowingly been “exploiting children in the interest of profit.” In a similar vein, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson noted he was joining the investigation because Meta is treating “children as mere commodities to manipulate for longer screen time engagement and data extraction,” which is against consumer protection laws.
NPR shared more about the investigation as it gains steam:
A bipartisan group of state attorneys general is investigating how Instagram attracts and potentially harms children and young adults. https://t.co/DtuBrYIvSW
— NPR (@NPR) November 19, 2021
Meta’s lawyers stated one Ohio lawsuit based on these facts has no merit, but many lawmakers are still asking CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before Congress about the latest reports. Hopefully, these attorneys general and lawmakers will keep the pressure on Meta and other social media companies to hold them accountable for how they impact users, whether it’s intentional or not.
Copyright 2021, ConservativeHub.com
