SUMMARY
Meta is facing allegations that it knowingly designed Instagram and Facebook to keep children and teenagers hooked, even as it learned about the potential harm to their mental health. A spokesperson called the claims unsubstantiated, saying the company stands by its record of protecting minors. Amna Nawaz discussed the landmark trial with Bloomberg tech reporter Alexandra Levine.
UPDATE: Since this lesson was published, Meta and suing states settled the lawsuit. You can find out more about the settlement here.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What states are part of the lawsuit described in this segment?
- Who is Alexandra Levine, and what is her background?
- How has Meta harmed children, according to the lawsuit?
- Why are certain design features especially addictive or harmful, according to the lawsuit?
- What kinds of privacy protections does Meta say it has added to its products?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Do you think social media products like Meta's Facebook, Instagram and others are damaging for people's mental health? If so, do you think young people are especially vulnerable?
- What change to social media products do you think would have the biggest positive impact on the well-being of users?
Media literacy: Why do you think states are bringing this lawsuit now? Why not in previous years? What has changed most about social media products like Meta in more recent years?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Are there safe ways to set up social media accounts to help avoid some of the harms described in the segment above?
First, watch the following segment from the MediaWise Teen Fact-checking Network.
After watching the segment, discuss —
- What precautions did this segment suggest to avoid some of the harms of social media?
- What harms did it not address? How could you best safeguard against those harms?
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