Meta to face lawsuits for contributing to teenage mental health problems
Judge in California rules US states have sufficient detail for the cases to proceed
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, could face lawsuits brought by US states accusing it of contributing to mental health problems in teenagers through the addictive nature of its platforms.
According to Reuters, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, based in California, rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss the claims made by more than 30 states, including California and New York, as well as a separate suit brought by Florida.
The lawsuits, filed last year, allege that the company’s platforms foster addiction among teenagers, exacerbating mental health issues, a claim that CEO Mark Zuckerberg rejected once again last month.
The judge said she is determined that the states had provided sufficient detail regarding allegedly misleading statements by Meta to allow most of the case to proceed. She also dismissed motions by Meta, ByteDance's TikTok, Google parent Alphabet's YouTube, and Snap's Snapchat to throw out personal injury lawsuits from individual plaintiffs.
These companies are not defendants in the states’ cases.
The ruling enables the states and other plaintiffs to continue gathering evidence and potentially take the case to trial. It does not represent a final decision on the merits of the lawsuits.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement: "Meta needs to be held accountable for the very real harm it has inflicted on children here in California and across the country.”
Lawyers representing the personal injury plaintiffs described the ruling as "a significant victory for young people nationwide who have been negatively impacted by addictive and harmful social media platforms."
Meta responded to the ruling through a spokesperson, expressing disagreement and highlighting that the company had "developed numerous tools to support parents and teens," including introducing new "Teen Accounts" on Instagram that offer enhanced protections.
A spokesperson for Google also rejected the allegations, stating: "Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work."
The states are seeking court orders to halt Meta’s alleged illegal business practices and are also pursuing unspecified financial damages.
The broader legal battle involves hundreds of lawsuits filed against various social media companies, accusing them of using addictive algorithms that contribute to anxiety, depression, and body-image issues among teenagers, without adequately warning users of these risks.