The group will be analysing how Meta’s app attracts young people to its platforms and its impact on mental health

Meta, formally known as Facebook, is being investigated by 8 U.S. states for breaking consumer protection laws by trying to attract kids to its platforms.

The group includes attorney generals from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont. 

One attorney general says “Meta has failed to protect young people on its platforms and instead chose to ignore or, in some cases, double down on known manipulations that pose a real threat to physical and mental health — exploiting children in the interest of profit”.

The investigation will look into the methods that the company used to real kids into using and engaging with its social media networks as well as “the resulting harms caused by such extended engagement”.

Nebraska’s attorney general says the probe is vital “when social media platforms treat our children as mere commodities to manipulate for longer screen time engagement and data extraction”.

This follows reports that Instagram’s internal research highlighted the negative mental health impact of the platform on teens.

This led to court hearings where Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen blamed the company of “moral bankruptcy” after leaking thousands of pages of Facebook’s internal research to the media.

Facebook denies the allegations stating that the majority of users have a positive experience on their platforms.