Meta Unmasked: Internal Research Reveals Alarming Mental Health Impacts

Meta halted research into its products' mental health effects after discovering harmful impacts, as revealed in a lawsuit by U.S. school districts. Despite findings linking Facebook to depression and anxiety, Meta buried the evidence, drawing parallels to past tobacco industry practices, and continued prioritizing growth over safety.

Internal research by Meta highlighted links between its social media products and negative mental health outcomes. Unredacted lawsuit documents reveal that the company discovered its platforms, like Facebook, contributed to depression and anxiety among users, but chose to pause further investigations.

Concerns emerged internally comparing Meta's actions to the tobacco industry's infamous cover-up of adverse health effects. Despite evidence, the company informed Congress that it couldn't quantify harm to teenage girls, while maintaining its focus on user engagement growth.

Lawsuit allegations also claim Meta intentionally downplayed its products' risks, fostering environments unsuitable for children. The company disputes these claims, asserting its commitment to user safety and questioning the lawsuit's representation of its safety initiatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)