Meta Faces Legal Battle Over Alleged Child Addiction to Social Media

A federal judge rejected Meta's motion to dismiss a lawsuit accusing it of making Facebook and Instagram addictive for children. The lawsuit, backed by 29 state attorneys general, highlights concerns about mental health impacts. Judge Gonzalez Rogers identified factual disputes over the platforms' addictiveness.

A federal judge denied Meta Platforms' attempt to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that it designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for children. The case, brought forward by 29 U.S. state attorneys general, accuses Meta of concealing the potential harm from the public.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, presiding in Oakland, affirmed claims from the states regarding deception and the violation of federal child privacy laws. Meta, headquartered in Menlo Park, disputes these claims, arguing that social media addiction is not officially recognized as a psychiatric condition.

The court identified significant factual conflicts regarding the addictiveness of Meta's platforms, setting the stage for a trial scheduled for August. The case also examines whether Meta's platforms were inadvertently directed towards a younger audience.