DES Moines, Iowa — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird on Wednesday announced a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging the company violated state consumer protection laws and harmed children.

The lawsuit, filed in Polk County District Court, claims Instagram misrepresents itself as safe for children and teenagers while allowing explicit and inappropriate content on its platform.

According to the attorney general’s office, the state alleges Meta designed Instagram to be addictive, particularly for young users, and that the platform’s use can negatively impact children’s mental and physical health.

The lawsuit also challenges Instagram’s content ratings, which describe the platform as appropriate for users as young as 12 or 13 and characterize mature content as “infrequent” or “mild.” State officials argue that, in practice, users can encounter significant amounts of sexual content, nudity, drug and alcohol references, and other mature themes.

The filing further alleges that third-party investigations have found instances of child exploitation, including sexual extortion and the distribution of illegal drugs, occurring on the platform.

Bird is seeking both preliminary and permanent court orders requiring Meta to change or stop what the state describes as deceptive practices, including its content descriptions, age ratings and public safety assurances.

“Instagram says their content is safe for kids. It’s not,” Bird said in a statement. “Social media companies must comply with our state laws and prioritize the safety and privacy of all Iowans, especially our most vulnerable.”

Meta has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.

The full petition was filed Wednesday in Polk County District Court.