Statement on Lawsuit Against Meta’s Role in Youth Mental Health Crisis

Design It For Us core team member and youth leader Thanasi Dilos issued the following statement after dozens attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Meta for harming young people’s mental health through their addictive product design features: 

“Meta has been called on time and again by advocates, lawmakers, parents and young people to stop profiting off of our safety and well-being by purposefully designing products that keep us addicted and scrolling endlessly – a major contributor to the mental health epidemic young people are experiencing today. This bipartisan effort by dozens of states across the country is a much needed check on Meta’s refusal to protect children. Despite being asked by youth advocates like us to collaborate on legislation and guidelines, Meta has funded trade associations like NetChoice that are actively leading campaigns to block Age Appropriate Design Codes across the country. We’ve been calling for accountability since our founding, and we are thankful for the leadership of these state attorneys general to meaningfully address the harms of powerful tech companies that continue to prioritize their profit over protecting young people online.”

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