States target social media companies over kids' health, safety as Congress hesitates

Attorneys general from three states have filed separate lawsuits against social media giants TikTok, Snap, and YouTube, alleging that their platforms have harmful effects on children, including sextortion, addiction, and privacy violations. The lawsuits are part of a broader effort by federal, state, and local authorities to hold Big Tech accountable for concerns over youth mental health. State attorneys general have targeted social media companies, with Texas suing TikTok for allegedly violating the state's parental consent law, New Mexico suing Snap for ignoring reports of sextortion, and Arkansas suing Google and YouTube for violating the state's deceptive trade practices act. The lawsuits signal that harm has already been done to children, and preventative measures are needed to protect them online. Proposed legislation, such as the Kids Online Safety Act and Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act 2.0, aims to force platforms to make changes to their design before harm occurs. The Federal Trade Commission, school districts, and state legislatures have also filed lawsuits or passed bills to protect children's online safety. Children's online safety is a rare point of bipartisan agreement in Congress, but legislation has stalled in the House. Social media companies have denied the allegations, with Google and Snap stating that they have built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences. The lawsuits are part of a growing trend of state attorneys general suing tech companies for breaking state laws, which could become more challenging for companies to combat as more states join in. Ultimately, patchwork state-level responses mean that kids in some areas are prioritized over others, highlighting the need for federal action to protect children's online safety.