Meta Loses Bid to Dismiss Lawsuits Accusing Facebook and Instagram of Addicting Children
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Meta has lost a new legal attempt to dismiss lawsuits filed by U.S. states accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram in ways that may encourage compulsive use among children and teenagers.
A federal judge in Oakland, California, rejected Meta’s request to throw out claims brought by 29 state attorneys general. The lawsuits accuse the company of using unfair and deceptive practices and of violating children’s online privacy protections.
The court said key factual disputes should be considered by a jury, including whether Meta’s platforms were designed to be addictive, whether the company misled the public about that risk, and whether Facebook and Instagram were partly directed at children.
The states allege that Meta knew about potential harms linked to young users’ engagement with its platforms, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, school difficulties, and other mental health concerns. They argue that the company continued to present its platforms as safe despite those risks.
Meta denies the allegations. The company says that “social media addiction” is not recognized as a standalone mental health condition and argues that the states have not shown enough evidence that it misled users or the public. Meta also says the evidence will show its efforts to support and protect young people online.
The judge also found that Meta failed to meet certain notice and parental consent requirements under children’s online privacy rules, giving the states a partial legal victory on that issue.
The case is part of a wider legal battle facing major social media platforms over their impact on children and teenagers. More than 2,600 related cases have been filed by individuals, school districts, local governments, and other plaintiffs against companies including Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok.
A trial involving claims by several states, including California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, is scheduled to begin on August 18, making the case one of the most closely watched legal tests of Big Tech’s responsibility toward young users.
The dispute comes as governments and parents around the world are placing growing pressure on social media companies to better protect children from harmful design features, including endless scrolling, algorithmic recommendations, constant notifications, and engagement tools that keep young users online for longer periods.
