Source link: https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-statement-unsealed-federal-complaint-against-meta-harming-youth
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued the following statement today on his office’s federal lawsuit against Meta for knowingly harming youth mental health. The social media company recently agreed to unseal information it had previously designated confidential.
The full complaint is now public, minus identifying information for certain non-executive employees, revealing specific details of Meta’s unlawful conduct.
“The evidence is clear — Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s top executives knew and disregarded the extensive risks that addictive features on Instagram and Facebook posed to children,” Ferguson said. “They ignored repeated warnings from their employees and researchers, and exploited harmful features to maximize profit. My office will continue doing everything we can to protect the mental health of Washington youth.”
Ferguson is suing Meta in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 42 state attorneys general. The federal lawsuit, filed by 33 of those states, accuses Meta of putting profits before the well-being of millions of children and teens by intentionally targeting them with harmful features to get them hooked for life. Internal documents show the tech company knew the risks those features posed and not only ignored them, but publicly downplayed them in violation of the Consumer Protection Act. Read more about the lawsuit here.
Highlights from the unsealed complaint
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg ignored internal documents on detailed consultation with “21 independent experts around the world” who found that filters with cosmetic surgery effects “can have severe impacts on both the individuals using the effects and those viewing the images.” Experts told Meta that children were particularly vulnerable as well as those with a history of eating disorders and mental illness. Instagram’s head of public policy wrote to Zuckerberg that outside experts were “nearly unanimous on the harm here.” Zuckerberg canceled a meeting to discuss these issues, then subsequently vetoed a proposal to ban the filters. He dismissed the concerns as “paternalistic.”
In response to the veto, then-vice president of product design wrote in an email to Zuckerberg: “I respect your call on this and I’ll support it, but want to just say for the record that I don’t think it’s the right call given the risks . . . I just hope that years from now we will look back and feel good about the decision we made here.
Internal emails show that Meta disregarded well documented research on the psychological harm to youth when they are inundated with notifications. For example, an internal Meta document discussing “Problematic Facebook Use” stated that “smartphone notifications caused inattention and hyperactivity among teens, and they reduced productivity and well-being.” Despite this knowledge, the company pursued a strategy for “Teen Growth” by “leverag[ing] teens’ higher tolerance for notifications to push retention and engagement.”
Meanwhile, internal documents and emails between top executives show that Meta has long known its frequency of notifications are problematic, but continued the practice to maximize engagement. In fact, then-vice president of analytics said in an email “fundamentally I believe that we have abused the notifications channel as a company.” In June 2018, an internal presentation called “Facebook ‘Addiction’” proposed that Meta reduce notifications to curb problematic use. To date, Instagram does not offer users a setting to permanently disable all notifications. At most, users can opt to pause all notifications for up to eight hours at a time or pause notifications for a specific category. After notifications are disabled, Meta pressures users to reinstate notifications.
Meta executives repeatedly ignored or declined requests to fund proposed well-being initiatives and strategies that were intended to reduce harmful features on Instagram and Facebook. For example, in April 2019, Meta’s then-vice president of research emailed Zuckerberg proposing well-being investments on the platforms, pointing out, “there is increasing scientific evidence (particularly in the US…) that the average net effect of [Facebook] on people’s well-being is slightly negative.” Meta’s leadership team declined to fund the initiative. Requests like these, which involved internal discussions between multiple top executives at both Instagram and Facebook over several years, were repeatedly denied.
IN OTHER STATE NEWS HEADLINES:
AG Ferguson, NY AG James lead 21 attorneys general arguing to block Idaho’s discriminatory transgender bathroom law.
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson and New York Attorney General Letitia James are leading a coalition of 21 attorneys general to file a brief seeking to block an Idaho law that categorically bars transgender students from using school facilities like bathrooms or locker rooms consistent with their gender identity./WAAG
* This happens when society let's immorality fester.
WSDA AWARDS FARM TO SCHOOL PURCHASING GRANTS
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has offered $3.7 million in Farm to School Purchasing grants to 105 applicants. School districts, childcare providers, tribal schools and tribal early learning centers will use the grants to serve high quality, nutritious and culturally relevant foods grown, raised, caught or foraged by producers in Washington state. WSDA's Farm to School Purchasing Grants are possible thanks to the Washington State Legislature’s ongoing investment in farm to school./ WSDA
State Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office publishes Fuel Action Plan.
2023 Washington State Fuel Action Plan describes supply chain hazards, actions to take in event of disruption
OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington Energy Resilience and Emergency Management Office (EREMO) at the Department of Commerce recently published the 2023 State Fuel Action Plan. Authorized in Washington State statute and through related Presidential directives and federal law, the plan describes the fuel supply chain, hazards to fuel infrastructure, and tactics available to the state for responding to a fuel shortage or disruption./ WA COMMERCE DEPT.
Ecology offering $1.8 million to Washington communities for drought planning, preparedness.
OLYMPIA –
To help Washington communities prepare for a drier future, Ecology will offer $1.8 million in grants to increase local drought preparedness./DOE
Seattle and King County penalized for sewer overflow violations.
SEATTLE –
The Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are jointly issuing penalties to Seattle and King County for violating conditions of their federal consent decrees and state water quality permits that regulate combined sewer overflows from Seattle’s sanitary sewer system./DOE
2) NEWS FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
WA Ferries Awarded $4.8M to Extend Lifespan of 6 Aging Vessels by up to a Decade
Funds will refurbish passenger amenities for ferries currently serving Fauntleroy, Vashon, Southworth, Mukilteo, Clinton, Anacortes, & the San Juan Islands/FROM A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 11/29/23
DOT Launches New, Cantwell-Created Office to Prevent Costly Supply Chain Snafus
After pandemic-era freight congestion clogged NW ports, Cantwell wrote provision creating Multimodal Freight Office & secured its inclusion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; Office led by longtime WSDOT staffer Allison Dane Camden, a Clark College and UW grad/Press release issued 11/29/23
Amtrak Fulfills Promise to Cantwell – Adds 2 More Daily Roundtrips Between Seattle & Portland
Announcement “significantly increases capacity for riders travelling between the two busiest stops on the Amtrak Cascades Route,” says Cantwell; Total number of Seattle-Portland roundtrips to increase from 5 to 7 beginning on Dec. 11/From a press release issued 11/29/23
Senator Murray, Colleagues Take to Senate Floor to Share How Child Care Crisis is Hurting Constituents, Urge Action from Congress/ From a press release issue 11/29/23
WA Ferries Awarded $4.8M to Extend Lifespan of 6 Aging Vessels by up to a Decade
Funds will refurbish passenger amenities for ferries currently serving Fauntleroy, Vashon, Southworth, Mukilteo, Clinton, Anacortes, & the San Juan Islands/Press release issued 11/29/23
WORLD< NATIONAL < BUSINESS
WORLD:
Expressing Grave Concern over Rise in Tuberculosis Cases, General Assembly Also Highlights Gap in Progress towards Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Assembly Also Designates 7 September World Duchenne Awareness Day to Spark Awareness of Rare Genetic Disorder/ UN PRESS RELEASE
Truly Sustainable Development for Persons with Disabilities Means Ensuring Equal Rights, Ending Discrimination, Secretary-General Tells Commemorative Event
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the commemorative event to observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities/UN PRESS RELEASE
Speakers Seek More Information on Governance, Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, as Fifth Committee Considers Proposals for Improved Service Delivery
Optimistic that interlinked reform processes juxtaposed with improved service delivery within the United Nations will reinvigorate the Sustainable Development Goals at all levels and redirect savings towards development and carrying out the UN’s mandate, delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today called for more detailed information and data on the concept. /UN PRESS RELEASE
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Press.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: This is my third visit to the region since Hamas slaughtered men, women, and children on October 7th. During the first visit that I made, I came to show strong solidarity with Israel defending itself, trying to make sure that October 7th never happens again; and also, to stress the importance of humanitarian assistance getting to people in need in Gaza. After that visit, the humanitarian assistance began to flow./US STATE DEPT.
Security Council Hears Fresh Calls for Ceasefire, Two-State Solution During Ministerial Meeting on Israel-Gaza War
Warring Parties Must Abide by International Law, Secretary-General Asserts
Fifty-three days since the Israel-Gaza war began, speakers called today for the current humanitarian pause to become a sustained ceasefire — and for renewed efforts to be made for a two-State solution in the Middle East — during a ministerial-level meeting of the Security Council that coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People./UN PRESS RELEASE
NATION:
FACT SHEET: Marking the Two-Year Anniversary of the Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration/WH
Search Continues in Japan for Downed Osprey Aircraft.
On Tuesday, a CV-22A Osprey Aircraft assigned to the Air Force's 353rd Special Operations Wing was involved in an aviation mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan. There were eight airmen on board. Search and rescue operations are now underway to locate both the aircrew and their aircraft./DOD
Man Charged in $148M Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Scheme.
A federal grand jury in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, returned an indictment today charging a Louisiana man for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid of over $148 million in medically unnecessary definitive urine drug testing services./DOJ
U.S. Department of Education Announces Winners of the $1 Million Future Finder Challenge to Support Adult Learners.
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced today that Gladeo, a minority- and women-owned public benefit corporation based in Los Angeles, California, has been selected as the grand-prize winner of the Future Finder Challenge, a $1 million challenge to reimagine career navigation for adult learners. Workbay, a woman-owned business based in Franklin, Tennessee, has been selected as the runner-up./DEPT. of EDUCATION
Photo and Video Release: In Brooklyn and at JP Morgan Chase & Co Housing Summit, HUD Secretary Spotlights Affordable Housing Investments and Need for Public Private Partnership
Secretary Marcia L. Fudge toured affordable senior housing alongside Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), visited Nehemiah Spring Creek and spoke to bankers at the JPMorgan Chase Housing Finance Summit/HUD
BUSINESS:
Treasury Targets DPRK’s International Agents and Illicit Cyber Intrusion Group.
WASHINGTON — Today, in coordination with foreign partners, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned eight foreign-based Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) agents that facilitate sanctions evasion, including revenue generation and missile-related technology procurement that support the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. Additionally, OFAC sanctioned cyber espionage group Kimsuky for gathering intelligence to support the DPRK’s strategic objectives./ US TREASURY
Omaha Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns.
A Nebraska attorney was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for filing false individual income tax returns./DOJ
Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the 2023 Farm Sector Income Forecast.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2023 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service released its annual Farm Sector Income Forecast report for 2023. Agriculture Secretary/USDA
Opening Remarks
Chair Jerome H. Powell
At a Fireside Chat at Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia/THE FED
The Importance of Effective Liquidity Risk Management
Vice Chair for Supervision Michael S. Barr
At the ECB Forum on Banking Supervision, Frankfurt, Germany/THE FED
IN FOCUS & LOCAL MEETINGS FOR 12/2/23
https://pr2345.blogspot.com/p/in-focus-local-meetings-for-12223.html
