Meta Faces Legal Battle Over Teen Social Media Addiction

Meta, Facebook's parent company, is confronting lawsuits from over 30 U.S. states alleging it fosters social media addiction in teenagers. A federal judge allowed the cases to proceed, rejecting Meta's defense that federal law prohibits these claims. The states seek injunctions and damages for Meta's practices.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is facing legal challenges from U.S. states accusing it of fostering social media addiction among teenagers, a California federal judge ruled on Tuesday.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, based in Oakland, rejected Meta's attempt to dismiss the claims from more than 30 states. Meta argued that federal law protected it from several allegations, and that the states failed to cite any misleading statements made by the company.

The judge limited some claims from the states but allowed the proceedings to continue mostly unchanged. She also declined to dismiss individual claims regarding social media addiction. States are seeking injunctions and financial damages against Meta for purported illegal practices.

(With inputs from agencies.)