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DES MOINES, Iowa — The fight over what kids see online has landed, again, in a courtroom—this time with Meta Platforms facing a lawsuit from Iowa’s top prosecutor, who says the stakes aren’t abstract at all.
Attorney General Brenna Bird filed the case in Iowa District Court for Polk County, which includes Des Moines, alleging that the company’s social media platforms contribute to addiction and harm among young users in the state.
Bird, a Republican, brought the lawsuit just days after juries in California and New Mexico state courts found that similar platforms are designed in ways that foster addictive behavior.
In a statement, Bird said, “Instagram says their content is safe for kids. It’s not. And Instagram was designed to get our children addicted to it, causing harm to their mental health and physical safety.”
The lawsuit seeks financial damages for the state, citing alleged violations of consumer protection and deceptive marketing laws. It also claims that Instagram exposes teenage users to explicit material.
“Defendants allow rampant profanity, sexual content and nudity, alcohol, tobacco, and drug use and references, and mature/suggestive themes on the Instagram platform, including readily accessible hardcore pornography,” the lawsuit states.
“Defendants use human and computer moderators to police the content on Instagram, but those moderators either systematically fail or apply internal policies that allow these types of content to remain on the platform,” it adds.
The case now moves forward in state court, where questions about responsibility, design, and the reach of social media platforms are expected to take center stage.
