Judge Rejects Meta Bid to Dismiss Child Addiction Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected a bid by Meta Platforms to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 29 state attorneys general. The lawsuit alleges that Meta intentionally designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and teenagers while concealing the resulting mental health harms, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicide.

Judge Gonzalez Rogers denied the motion to dismiss claims regarding deception and unfair practices, ruling that factual disputes over whether the platforms promote addictive behavior must be decided at trial. She noted that internal Meta documents suggested employees recognized the platforms' addictive nature, dismissing Meta's argument that social media addiction is not an established psychiatric condition in the DSM-5.

Additionally, the judge granted summary judgment to the states on a separate issue, finding that Meta failed to comply with the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act regarding notice and parental consent requirements. Meta has defended its platforms, arguing its services are directed at a general audience and denying that it misled consumers.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta characterized the ruling as a critical win for child mental health accountability. A trial regarding claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey is scheduled to begin on August 18.