Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, must now confront lawsuits brought by U.S. states accusing it of contributing to mental health issues among teenagers by making its platforms intentionally addictive. In a major decision this week, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in California ruled against Meta’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuits filed last year by over 30 states, including California, New York, and Florida.
Although Meta argued that Section 230, a federal law regulating online platforms, provided the company some legal protection, the judge found that the states had presented sufficient evidence regarding Meta’s alleged misleading statements. These claims will proceed to the next stages of litigation.
This ruling also applies to related lawsuits by individual plaintiffs against Meta and other social media giants such as ByteDance’s TikTok, Google’s YouTube, and Snap’s Snapchat. While these companies are not directly involved in the state lawsuits, they also face personal injury claims for allegedly contributing to teenage addiction and mental health issues.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the decision, emphasizing the need to hold Meta accountable for the harm its platforms have caused teens nationwide. “Meta needs to be held accountable for the very real harm it has inflicted on children here in California and across the country,” Bonta stated.
Lawyers representing individual plaintiffs described the ruling as a “significant victory” for young people, many of whom have suffered from anxiety, depression, and body-image issues linked to addictive social media algorithms.
Meta, however, disagreed with the ruling. A company spokesperson highlighted the development of several tools designed to protect teens and parents, such as the “Teen Accounts” feature on Instagram. Google also rejected the allegations, with a spokesperson stating, “providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work.”
The lawsuits seek court orders to halt Meta’s allegedly harmful business practices and request monetary damages, although the exact figures have not been specified. With hundreds of related lawsuits in progress, this ruling could set the stage for a broader legal reckoning within the tech industry.
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