US states start lawsuit against Instagram and Facebook
Listen to the story (Singaporean accent)
42 states in the US have sued Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit says Meta didn't tell the truth about the risks of using its social media apps.
The states say that Meta used addictive features that make people want to use the apps more and more. However, Meta hid information about the dangers of using its apps.
The states also say Meta broke the law by collecting information about children under 13.
New York Attorney General, Letitia James, is one of the attorneys working on the lawsuit. She says that social media companies, including Meta, have helped create a youth mental health crisis.
Meta is not happy about the lawsuits. The company says it cares about teens’ safety and health. It has created more than 30 tools to support teens and families.
This is not the first lawsuit against Meta because of its social media apps. There are hundreds of lawsuits from families, young people, and schools who say its apps have hurt teens’ mental health.
Meta says its apps are not harmful to young people's mental health. The company’s research shows that many teens think using Instagram helps them during hard times in life.
However, there is also research that shows using social media for a long time can be bad for young people's mental health.
The lawsuit mentions that some features like "likes," "alerts," and "filters" can make young people worry too much about their appearance, which is called "body dysmorphia."
Vocabulary25 words
- State
- A large area of land that has its own government (The USA has 50 states)
- Sue
- To take legal action against someone for doing something wrong or causing harm; to fight someone in a court of law;
- Lawsuit
- a complaint or disagreement that you bring to a court
- Risk
- danger; chance of danger; the possibility of danger
- Social media
- Websites and apps that allow people to communicate and share information online (Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, etc.)
- App (application)
- software, especially for smartphones and tablets
- Addictive
- When something is very hard to stop doing because it makes you feel really good and you want to do it all the time; unable to stop doing something
- Feature
- a special or important point; attribute; quality; component; part;
- Hide
- to keep something out of sight; to conceal something; to make something not possible to see; to make it difficult to find something
- Break the law
- to do something that is illegal or not allowed; Violate or fail to comply with a law or regulation; not follow a law
- Collect
- bring together; gather; take in
- Attorney General
- The chief/top lawyer for a state or country who helps make sure the laws are followed
- Attorney
- lawyer; a person who knows about laws helps people with legal problems
- Create
- to make something new or original; produce
- Youth
- Young people
- Mental health
- the health or status of our emotions,thoughts, and feelings; the health or condition of our mind
- Crisis
- a time of intense difficulty or danger; emergency; hardship
- Tool
- a thing used to help do a job; a device with a specific function; instrument; equipment
- Hurt
- To cause pain or damage to someone; to feel pain or have an injury
- Harmful
- damaging; hurtful; negative; bad for
- Research
- the process of studying a subject/something to learn more about it and gain new understanding
- Show
- to prove something or make the truth or existence of something known; confirm; demonstrate; to display; to represent
- Mention
- to briefly or quickly talk about something; to say something, but not talk in detail about it
- Worry
- to be/feel concerned or nervous; to be troubled; to think a lot about a negative situation;
- Appearance
- how something or someone looks on the outside;
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
42 _____ in the US have sued Meta, the company that owns _____ and Instagram. The lawsuit says Meta didn't _____ the truth about the risks of using its social media _____.
The states say _____ Meta used addictive features that make people want to use the apps _____ and more. However, Meta hid information about the _____ of using its apps.
The states also say Meta _____ the law by collecting information about children _____ 13.
New York Attorney General, Letitia James, is one of the attorneys _____ on the lawsuit. She says that social media _____, including Meta, have helped create a youth mental health crisis.
Meta is _____ happy about the lawsuits. The company says it _____ about teens’ safety and health. It has created more than 30 tools to _____ teens and families.
This is _____ the first lawsuit against Meta because of _____ social media apps. There are _____ of lawsuits from families, young people, and schools who say its apps have _____ teens’ mental health.
Meta says its apps are not _____ to young people's mental health. The company’s research _____ that many teens think using Instagram helps them _____ hard times in life.
_____, there is also research that shows using social media for a _____ time can be bad for young people's mental _____.
The lawsuit mentions that some _____ like "likes," "alerts," and "filters" can make young people worry too much _____ their appearance, which is called "body dysmorphia."
Discussion questions
- Do you think social media is more helpful or harmful for young people's mental health? Share your opinion and explain your reasons.
- Do you think social media is, in general, good or bad for society?
- Do you think social media companies have a responsibility to protect the mental health of their users?
- Should there be stricter rules and regulations for social media companies to protect children under 13? Why or why not?
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