The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a landmark lawsuit against Meta and Google on Thursday, accusing them of deliberately exploiting children's mental vulnerabilities through addictive social media and search algorithms. The suit alleges these platforms knowingly promoted harmful content and targeted ads to minors, contributing to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm among young users. This legal action marks a pivotal moment in the global crackdown on corporate child exploitation, following similar investigations in Italy targeting luxury giant LVMH over 'cosmeticorexia' marketing and the UK's ban on junk food ads to children. Meta has faced mounting pressure since leaked 2019 internal research revealed Instagram's negative impact on teen mental health, particularly regarding body image and insecurities.

The company's business model, reliant on capturing young users' attention for ad revenue, now faces existential threats as regulators worldwide challenge its practices.