GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – More than 40 states, including North Carolina, have sued Meta, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, over allegations that its social media platforms are fueling the crisis of current mental health among adolescents.
This mental health crisis is just that…it’s an extreme crisis, says Kelly Millington, interim CEO of the YMCA of East Carolina.
The crisis is explicitly affecting adolescents: 77% of them face mental health issues, according to the CDC, and one of the main reasons is social media use.
Richard Morefield, Licensed Clinical Addition Specialist at Greenville and New Berns Hakuna Wellness Center, says, “It’s the fear of missing out and that’s kind of the hook that’s programmed into some of the algorithms in these social media apps that bring these young minds back.
As part of the lawsuit, North Carolina and 40 other states are suing Meta. The case says its social media platforms are fueling the current adolescent mental health crisis.
Specifically, the States claim that the algorithms that decide what people see when they log into Facebook and Instagram, the ability to like a post, and the ability to scroll endlessly and without limits are the features that make addicted teenagers.
The States also claim that Meta knows that teenagers’ self-esteem suffers once they become addicted to Facebook and Instagram.
In addition to the lawsuit, Millington and Morefield say there are steps and precautions at home that parents can take to protect their teens’ mental health.
Getting these kids involved and active and the resilience that comes with being on a youth sports team or things of that nature can really help develop their coping skills, Millington said.
You have the ability to control what they see, monitor what they see, block sites, and limit screen time on devices. Enjoy it all, Morefield told WITN.
Still, Morefield said, there has been an increase in the number of teens needing medical attention and experiencing suicidal thoughts. He says this is due to how these thoughts are now normalized on social media, and the fact that teens down the rabbit hole may scroll down when topics like suicide appear on their social media feeds.
In response to the lawsuits, Meta released a statement saying she shared the concerns of state prosecutors. Like these prosecutors, they want teens on Facebook and Instagram to be safe.
However, Meta did not directly address the merits of the lawsuits.
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