Meta, US states have discussed settling teen social media harm case

Meta Platforms and state attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have reportedly explored settling a lawsuit alleging the company designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for young users, according to Bloomberg News. The potential settlement follows a federal court trial in California, which involved claims by 29 states over alleged harm to young users.

Just prior to jury selection on August 12, a federal appeals court refrained from halting the trial. Meta and the attorneys general did not immediately comment on the matter. State attorneys general subsequently issued advisories about planned press conferences, including Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford. The legal claims are part of a wider wave of litigation alleging Meta and other social media companies contributed to a youth mental health crisis.

The trial examined whether Meta violated state laws protecting consumers and federal privacy protections by collecting data from users it knew were minors without parental consent. Meta has denied the allegations, stating it has taken steps to safeguard children on its platforms and argued that social media addiction is not a recognized mental health condition.