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A company of evil In recent years, the company has been monitoring the situation particularly closely and even announced that it was “rethinking the entire experience” to put
In recent years, the company has been monitoring the situation particularly closely and even announced that it was “rethinking the entire experience” to put user health above all else. It appears that a bipartisan group of attorneys general representing 42 U.S. states disagrees. Them A series of lawsuits have been filed against Meta, alleging that the company’s claims were part of a decade-long fraud schemeSocial media, on the other hand, continues to prioritize interaction and profit to the detriment of young people.
Despite numerous internal studies, independent expert analysis, and public evidence that its social platforms are harming young users, Meta remains reluctant to abandon known harmful features. Instead, it has redoubled its efforts to distort, conceal, and downplay the impact these features have on the mental and physical health of young users.
– claims the main lawsuit filed by the states of Colorado and Tennessee.
The complaint lists five features that it calls “harmful and psychologically manipulative” because they “encourage young users to use Instagram compulsively and for extended periods of time.”
Prosecutors say Instagram’s algorithms are designed to keep users on their toes. By presenting posts in expected order of relevance rather than chronological order, Meta takes advantage of what psychologists call a “variable rewards program.” This turns the feed into something similar to a slot machine. The lawsuit alleges that users are forced to return and endlessly scroll through updates in the hopes of getting a dose of dopamine when they come across content they like.
The lawsuit cites a 2021 study that found the way the app encourages teens to compare themselves to their peers is more harmful to mental health than cyberbullying.
Prosecutors say the number of likes displayed on Instagram posts gives people the opportunity to compare themselves to others. Instagram has long offered the option to hide this counter, but left it visible by default. “Meta could have at least hidden the number of likes from young Instagram and Facebook users, but it refused to do so.”states in the lawsuit.
According to the plaintiffs, notifications throughout the day encourage users to check Instagram. Allegedly, this means Meta is deliberately preying on young people who are “particularly vulnerable to these technologies that are difficult to resist.” Although Instagram has added features that allow users to turn off and pause notifications, prosecutors believe these options are designed for manipulative purposes. The text of these settings is designed to force users to keep Instagram notifications even after they try to turn them off.
Most of the evidence and testimony on this point is not publicly available because it is based on Meta’s confidential information. Prosecutors are asking the court for permission to make their allegations public. But it is already clear that they believe filters intended to smooth wrinkles and hide various blemishes and rashes promote problematic body ideals and contribute to self-esteem issues and eating disorders among young people.
The latest claim is that even as users try to self-regulate their social media usage, Meta is holding them back with “temporary content” that can only be viewed 24 hours after it is posted. This means teens may feel the need to constantly check for updates so they don’t miss anything.
Meta spokeswoman Lisa Crenshaw said the company has implemented more than 30 tools, such as parental controls and usage limits, to support younger users who suffer from increasing academic pressures, income inequality and limited access to mental health services. “We share the attorney general’s desire to ensure young people have a safe and positive online experience. [але] “We are disappointed that attorneys general have chosen this path rather than working productively with industry companies to create clear, age-appropriate standards for many apps used by youth.”.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell told reporters that pursuing profit is not wrong, but doing so “with bad faith” has become illegal. According to him, the company “knew exactly” how these design decisions could lead to addiction, but continued to use them, rejecting alternatives.
Source: 24 Tv
John Wilkes is a seasoned journalist and author at Div Bracket. He specializes in covering trending news across a wide range of topics, from politics to entertainment and everything in between.
