Meta (META.O), the parent company of Facebook, is facing lawsuits from multiple U.S. states accusing it of contributing to mental health issues among teens by making Facebook and Instagram addictive. A federal judge in California, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, ruled on Tuesday that Meta must face these lawsuits.
The lawsuits were filed by more than 30 states, including California, New York, and Florida, and claim that Meta’s platforms have harmful effects on teen mental health. While the judge ruled that some claims were limited due to Section 230, a federal law that provides protections for online platforms, she found enough merit in the states’ arguments about Meta’s misleading practices to allow most of the case to proceed.
The ruling also denied efforts by Meta, TikTok (owned by ByteDance), YouTube (owned by Alphabet), and Snapchat (owned by Snap Inc.) to dismiss related personal injury lawsuits. Although these companies are not directly part of the states’ cases, the personal injury claims are significant.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “Meta needs to be held accountable for the real harm it has caused to children in California and nationwide.” Lawyers for individual plaintiffs also hailed the ruling as a “significant victory for young people.”
Meta responded by expressing disagreement with the ruling, emphasizing that it has developed tools like “Teen Accounts” on Instagram to protect young users. A Google spokesperson also dismissed the claims, asserting that the company is committed to providing a safer experience for young people.
The lawsuits seek to challenge Meta’s business practices and request financial compensation for the damages caused by the company’s addictive algorithms, which are linked to anxiety, depression, and body-image issues in teens.
