Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will face lawsuits from multiple US states accusing it of contributing to mental health problems among teenagers through addictive features on its platforms.
In a ruling by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Meta’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuits was rejected, allowing the cases to move forward. The lawsuits, initially filed last year by more than 30 states including California and New York, as well as Florida, accuse the tech giant of making misleading statements about the safety of its platforms and failing to disclose the potential risks associated with excessive social media use.
The judge acknowledged that a federal law known as Section 230, which protects online platforms from certain legal liabilities, would partly shield Meta. However, she ruled that the states provided sufficient evidence to continue with the majority of their claims. The states allege that Meta’s business practices have fueled an epidemic of mental health issues in teens, including anxiety, depression, and body image concerns, by designing addictive algorithms that keep users engaged for prolonged periods.
In addition to the states’ lawsuits, the court also refused to dismiss related personal injury cases brought by individuals against Meta, ByteDance’s TikTok, Google’s YouTube, and Snap’s Snapchat. While the other companies are not involved in the states’ lawsuits, they are facing separate legal challenges over the same allegations of harm to young users.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta called for accountability, stating that Meta must be held responsible for the harm caused to children both in California and across the country. Lawyers representing personal injury plaintiffs praised the ruling as a major step forward for young people who have been negatively impacted by these platforms.
Meta, in response to the ruling, expressed disagreement but highlighted its efforts to introduce tools aimed at safeguarding teens, such as the recently launched “Teen Accounts” on Instagram, which feature additional protections for younger users. Google, also named in the lawsuits, dismissed the claims as false, insisting that creating a safer online experience for youth has always been a priority.
The lawsuits, which now advance to the discovery phase, may result in court orders against Meta's alleged business practices, as well as potential financial damages. Hundreds of similar lawsuits have been filed against social media companies, accusing them of contributing to a mental health crisis among adolescents through the promotion of addictive content and failure to warn users of the associated risks.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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