A federal judge has dealt a significant blow to Meta, refusing to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 29 state attorneys general who allege the company deliberately engineered Facebook and Instagram to addict minors while concealing the dangers. The ruling, issued Wednesday, allows the multistate action to proceed, marking a critical juncture in the legal battle over youth social media use.
The decision keeps alive claims that Meta violated state consumer protection laws by designing features, such as infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations, to maximize children's engagement despite internal research on associated mental health risks. Legal experts say the ruling could pressure the company to alter platform designs for younger users or face costly discovery that might expose internal communications.
The bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, led by officials from California and Tennessee, has argued that Meta's practices constitute unfair and deceptive business practices. The company had sought dismissal by citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields platforms from liability for third-party content, but the judge found that the addiction allegations target Meta's own conduct, not user posts.
Public opinion polling continues to show broad support for stricter regulation of social media platforms regarding minors, with a recent Pew survey indicating 71% of adults believe tech companies have too much power over young users. The lawsuit now enters the discovery phase, where plaintiffs will seek internal Meta documents on research about youth addiction and safety measures.
Legal analysts note that this ruling aligns with a growing judicial willingness to hold tech platforms accountable for product design choices, rather than just content moderation. Meta has vowed to appeal, arguing that the lawsuit threatens to undermine federal internet protections and could lead to inconsistent state-by-state regulation.