Florida Seeks Court Order to Restrict Meta’s Platforms for Teen Users
Florida is requesting a court order to force Meta Platforms (ticker: META) to implement stricter restrictions on Facebook and Instagram aimed at protecting teen users. The state attorney general, James Uthmeier, filed a motion in Pasco County seeking an injunction that would require the company to identify and remove users under 14 from these platforms, limit daily usage for teens to two hours, and disable features like autoplay and infinite scroll. These measures are more stringent than those agreed upon by Meta with other states as part of an $18 billion settlement in August. The lawsuit accuses Meta of engineering its apps to be addictive for young users while misleading the public about their safety. Florida did not join the broader settlement, arguing it was insufficient and would not deter future misconduct. The requested changes are seen as feasible based on those already agreed upon by Meta with other states. A spokesperson for Meta has yet to comment. The case highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of social media platforms' impact on youth mental health and safety.
Tickers: $META
Topics: addiction claims Facebook Florida Instagram Meta teen users