Courts Hold Social Media Giant Accountable for Harming Kids

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Two juries in two days have found Facebook and Instagram owner, Meta, liable for harming children on its social media platforms.

Last Tuesday, a New Mexico jury ruled that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on Instagram and Facebook. Jurors found thousands of violations, with penalties of $375 million.

On Wednesday, a Los Angeles jury awarded $3 million in damages to a young woman who said she became addicted to Meta and YouTube as a child, and recommended $3 million in punitive damages after finding the companies acted with malice.

Evidence presented at trial showed that tech executives knew their platforms were dangerous for children, but kept that information hidden.

The judge presiding over the case will make a final decision about how damages that the companies must pay.

All of this is significant for Arkansas, because Attorney General Tim Griffin has sued Meta in state court for endangering children.

The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office has alleged that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are built around algorithms intentionally designed “to exploit human psychology and foster addiction to maximize users’ screen time,” and that this exploitation is especially true of young users with developing brains.

Social media platforms are a multibillion dollar industry. The adults who own and profit from these companies have a responsibility to protect children on their platforms.

Family Council is not aware of any attorney general in America who is doing more to hold social media giants accountable and protect children online than Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.

It’s good to see courts in California and New Mexico protecting kids online. We hope Arkansas’ courts will protect children as well.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Kansas Attorney General Takes on Big Tech, Dangerous AI Chatbots

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Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is demanding answers from Big Tech companies over their dangerous AI companion chatbots that are harming children and families.

In a strongly worded letter to major AI developers, Kobach put the industry on notice, calling for real safeguards that protect kids.

“We’re seeing a very concerning trend where Big Tech releases AI products without meaningful safeguards,” Kobach said in a statement. Kobach highlighted a Topeka case in which a sexual predator used AI to create thousands of images depicting child abuse. National reports show AI chatbots encouraging teen suicide, promoting self-harm, and engaging in sexualized conversations with minors.

Some AI platforms even market themselves with slogans like “AI girls never say no.” As Kobach said, “That’s not a glitch in AI. It’s a failure of corporate accountability.”

The Kansas Attorney General gave the companies until January 30 to explain how they will ensure user safety and comply with Kansas age verification laws. Companies that have misrepresented their products’ safety or provided harmful content to minors may face consequences under Kansas law.

Arkansas families and policymakers should pay close attention to this situation.

Arkansas has been a leader when it comes to protecting children online, passing laws to verify ages and restrict harmful content. But AI chatbots can engage children in conversations that seem real but may encourage dangerous behaviors or expose them to inappropriate content.

Arkansas parents need to know what their children are accessing online. They should ask tough questions about any AI apps or chatbots their kids might be using.

Our friends at the Daily Citizen said it very well last summer:

When it comes to keeping children safe online, parents have their work cut out for them. Companies like xAI shouldn’t compound the problem by adding sexualized A.I. features to an app children use. But, unfortunately, there’s nothing stopping them from doing so.

No company is going to work harder than you to protect your kids. The best solution is to play it safe — keep your kids well away from A.I. chatbots and other dangerous internet traps.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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TikTok in the Dock: Arkansas A.G. to Take on Social Media Giant in 2026 Showdown

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The Arkansas Attorney General’s lawsuit against social media giant TikTok is scheduled to go to trial in October 2026, according to a recent scheduling order from the Cleburne County Circuit Court.

With upwards of a billion users worldwide, including some 150 to 170 million in the U.S., TikTok is among the most popular social media outlets on earth.

But TikTok is more than an app. It’s a major corporation owned by a China-based parent company, and it is valued at $300 billion.

However, TikTok has found itself embroiled in controversies over its failure to protect private user data from entities in China — including the Chinese Communist Party. In May 2025, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined TikTok $600 million for unlawfully transferring European user data to China.

The platform also has been accused of serving users a steady “diet of darkness” and violating laws intended to protect children online.

In 2023, the Arkansas Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against Chinese-based company ByteDance — the corporation that owns TikTok — in Cleburne County Circuit Court.

Attorneys for TikTok worked relentlessly to have the lawsuit dismissed, but the Arkansas Supreme Court has given the A.G.’s office a green light to pursue the case.

Attorney General Griffin’s lawsuit alleges TikTok violated Arkansas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act by falsely claiming that graphic and mature content on its platform is appropriate for teens. The lawsuit also calls the TikTok app “a Chinese ‘Trojan Horse’ unleashed on unsuspecting American consumers.”

As we keep saying, social media platforms are more than just websites or phone apps. These are multibillion-dollar businesses. The people who own and profit from these companies have a responsibility to protect their users.

Family Council is not aware of any attorney general in America who is doing more to hold social media giants accountable and protect children online than Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. We appreciate his willingness to continue this legal fight against TikTok in state court.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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