Mark Zuckerberg has proclaimed that his company, Meta, is the future of technology with his innovations to social media and the implication of his Metaverse into everyday life, yet it is of the opinion of many states that he purposefully exploits the interests of children in an effort to inhibit an addiction to social media, maximizing his own profits.
Features on Facebook and Instagram, such as infinite scrolling, that keep you hooked and constant random notifications that keep you coming back to the apps have been deemed addicting and harmful to one’s mental health. The damage being done to children through their usage of social media has increased the number of children and teens who self-harm and have anxiety disorders. In hopes of combating these statistics, U.S. attorneys in 41 states have brought forth a lawsuit against Meta to spread awareness of the addictive nature of phones and to enable the utilization of stronger regulations for social media.
Consumer cases such as this one are unusual to be taking place against a software company as they are most often seen against Big Pharma and Big Tobacco for the addictiveness of their products. By placing Meta on the same pedestal to that of cigarettes and medications, the government hopes to aid in the protection of exploited and addicted children.
Meta is expected to push for a dismissal of the case, however, it is imperative that Zuckerberg be held accountable for his faults against the mental health and privacy against children as he claims that his sites are completely safe and devoid of addictive behaviors.
Ultimately, the apathetic and captivating techniques used by Meta have shown the steady decline in the happiness of children.
Written by Jaylin Daniel
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