‘Exploiting Young People for Profit:’ 8 Lawsuits Target Facebook

Eight lawsuits have been filed in various states alleging that Facebook’s platforms are detrimental to the health of young people. One attorney says, “The defendants knew that their products and related services were dangerous to young and impressionable children and teens, yet they completely disregarded their own information. They implemented sophisticated algorithms designed to encourage frequent access to the platforms and prolonged exposure to harmful content.”

Mashable reports that the law firm Beasley Allen has hit Facebook (now known as Meta) with eight lawsuits claiming that the company’s platforms Facebook and Instagram have been detrimental to young people’s mental health. The law firm release a statement stating that Meta not only “exploits young people for profit,” but actively aimed to make its platforms as psychologically addictive as possible and failed to protect its users.

The firm cited the October 2021 testimony by far-left “whistleblower” Frances Haugen in which she discussed the platform’s effect on young users, as well as leaked documents stating that the company was aware that it was “toxic” to teenage girls.

Beasley Allen attorney Andy Birchfield said in a statement: “The defendants knew that their products and related services were dangerous to young and impressionable children and teens, yet they completely disregarded their own information. They implemented sophisticated algorithms designed to encourage frequent access to the platforms and prolonged exposure to harmful content.”

Birchfield added that Facebook executives made an active decision to “aggressively addict adolescents in the name of corporate profits,” instead of aiming to minimize the harm caused by the platforms. The concerns listed in the lawsuit include a number of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and even attempted suicide.

Breitbart News reported earlier this month that a lawsuit was recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California this week by a family blaming Facebook and its Instagram platform for their daughter’s eating disorder, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com