Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement.
Attorney General Lynn Fitch joined a nationwide investigation this week into Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, for providing and promoting its social media platform, Instagram, to children and young adults despite knowing that such use is associated with physical and mental health harms. The Attorneys General are examining whether the company violated state consumer protection laws and put the public at risk.
“Recent reports demonstrate a link between social media use and serious harm to the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of young people, particularly young girls,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “Decreased self-esteem, increased body-image dissatisfaction, and rampant cyberbullying too often lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and self-harm. We cannot turn a blind eye to the impact on our children.”
The investigation targets, among other things, the techniques utilized by Meta to increase the frequency and duration of engagement by young users and the resulting harms cause by such extended engagement. Recent reports reveal that Meta’s own internal research shows that using Instagram is associated with increased risks of physical and mental health harms for young people, including depression, eating disorders, and even suicide.
Last month, Attorney General Fitch and 51 other Attorneys General wrote the leadership of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security in advance of their hearing with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. The Attorneys General wrote, “When our young people’s health becomes mere collateral damage of greater profits for social media companies, it is time for government to intervene. These hearings are an important start.”
And, in May, Attorney General Fitch joined a bipartisan coalition of 44 Attorneys General in urging Facebook to abandon its plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13: “It appears that Facebook is not responding to a need, but instead creating one, as this platform appeals primarily to children who otherwise do not or would not have an Instagram account.” In September, Facebook announced it was pausing Instagram Kids.
28 comments:
She's a bulldog-
I bet they are all scared now….
The Chicoms are still shaking in their red boots, and now Fakebook. Wow. Now if she could just figure out how to go after the CMU and the rest of the Canton mafia.
Someone has to protect the stupid ? I realized what FB was 12 years ago and lasted about a month on the platform. See, I am not stupid or needy. And those who pretty much use this platform are. Cool part is that it's a really good test on the state of evolution for us humans. The results don't look to good.
Just wondering, Is it possible for Ms Fitch to gave an original idea? She continues to jump on a band wagon
Really? This is what they are worried about???? Crime is rampant and they are worried about body image? What has this world come to?
Don’t give your kids smart phones
But I though Facebook is dead?
Long Love the Metaverse!
Facebook name change to "Meta". Just a catchy name, huh. Well folks there is a thing called "Data". Think of it as something that is collected of YOU as a user. But what is term for "data about the data"? Well glad you asked. That is referred to as Metadata. Now you know.
I'll certainly sleep better tonight!
That's certainly a game-changer.
MS's version of the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act requires going through a informal dispute resolution process with the AG as a condition precedent to filing suit. Hope her assistants read the act before filing suit.
Must have been a tough call to follow the lead of many other states - She's so special.
@11:46
If you aren’t paying for a product then you are the product.
If the AG really wants to make some waves in this lawsuit then she will get some Mississippi neurologists and clinical psychologists to testify about dopamine receptors and the way Facebook manipulates people using their own brain chemistry.
Evolve or die.
Join ABC, Disney, Sports Illustrated, and all media companies in the suit. The Six Million Dollar Man made me feel weak, slow, depressed, and I questioned my vision. Dukes of Hazzard made me feel terrible about the four door sedan my parents and later I drove. Don't know for sure, but I think the SI swimsuit model edition made everyone of my girlfriends (and 98% of females in the US) feel fat and/or ugly, and I know it made me feel bad about myself for wanting to date them. Good grief we are without the ability to accept personal responsibility for anything or to realize and appropriately react to others attempts to manipulate us or our children. Think critically and quit trying to protect everyone in our society from harm or potential harm associated with conduct in which they voluntarily participate, or in which their parents allow them to participate. This is a Republican bringing this suit?
Lynn Fitch “For Mississippi”. That’s what her campaign signs said. Guess she can reuse them when posturing for a higher position.
1:34 : Nailed it. Folks no longer even realize they are slaves to the illusion. We have become fully stuck in the rut and the lugs won't lock.
"Joins the Investigation"? Is that similar to clicking 'like' on a group page and then typing "Thanks for the add"?
The misogyny posted in every single thread about AG Fitch is a perfect example as to why the GOP will remain a fringe political party and never again become mainstream in this country. She is one of your own for Christs sake!
Getting after the bad guys. Nothing wrong with enlisting after the war has already begun.
Attorneys General love referring to themselves as a “general”. General modifies attorney, not the other way around.
You wouldn’t call her “Cardiothoracic Fitch” if she were a cardiothoracic surgeon.
She's either Madam Attorney General or Attorney General Fitch.
5:04 - What's actually a 'perfect example' is your cry of misogyny. It's equally as boring, irrelevant and knee-jerk as the scream of 'racist' at every turn.
5:04 pm "She is one of your own for Christs sake!"
Is she, REALLY?
Has the attorney general won a single case since taking office? Should Facebook celebrate her participation and pop a bottle of champagne to celebrate their certain victory?
I am fairly sure that Facebook is not concerned about AG Fitch or her crackerjack staff. They handled the MS v TN water case and lost in a unanimous Supreme Court decision yesterday.
So...let me be straight with you people.
We went to end of the bench and called up Fitch and sent her in for a play, thinking it wouldn't matter one way or the other. Now the other team has scored and she's standing out there on the 50 spinning the ball on the state logo.
We have a chance to right our wrong in two years. Send her back to the Marshall County goat farm.
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