Meta Faces Lawsuit Over Youth Social Media Addiction in 29 States

A large logo installed in front of Meta Platforms' headquarters in Menlo Park, California. [Photo=AP]

Meta will continue to face a lawsuit filed by attorneys general from 29 states regarding youth addiction to social media platforms. A court has determined that whether Facebook and Instagram are designed to encourage compulsive use harmful to teenagers is a matter for trial.

On June 30, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Northern California declined Meta's request to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, and other states.

The states allege that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for young users while concealing mental health risks. They claim that the platforms contribute to issues such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and self-harm.

Meta argues that the concept of 'social media addiction' is not officially recognized as a disorder in psychiatry, and therefore, its platforms cannot be deemed addictive. However, Judge Rogers stated that addiction should not be viewed solely in a narrow medical sense, and whether Meta's statements misled users and state officials is a question for a jury to decide.

In addition, Judge Rogers issued a summary judgment in favor of the states regarding issues related to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), ruling that Meta failed to properly follow necessary notification and parental consent procedures when collecting information from child users.

Following the decision, Meta expressed strong opposition to the plaintiffs' claims, stating it would provide evidence of its long-standing commitment to protecting and supporting young users.

The trial is set to begin on August 18. Judge Rogers is also overseeing a broader lawsuit concerning the harmful effects of major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok, on youth. This case involves over 2,600 individuals, school districts, and local governments.

Meta has recently faced increasing legal challenges related to social media harm. In March, a landmark trial in Los Angeles resulted in a $6 million judgment against Meta and Google. In a separate case filed by New Mexico, Meta was fined $375 million. In another upcoming trial initiated by a 15-year-old boy from Florida, TikTok and YouTube are expected to settle with the plaintiffs, leaving Meta and Snapchat as the remaining defendants.

* This article has been translated by AI.