Massachusetts Sues Meta Over Instagram Addiction Risks To Teens

A Boston judge upheld a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts against Meta Platforms for alleged addictive practices on Instagram. The case accuses Meta, Instagram’s parent company, of intentionally making the platform addictive to young users and misleading the public about its impact on teen mental health.

Meta sought to have the lawsuit dismissed under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects Internet companies from legal liability for user-generated content. However, the judge determined that this did not protect the company from claims that it misled consumers about Instagram’s safety and its efforts to protect young users.

This lawsuit is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges facing Meta, including federal cases with similar allegations that the platform’s design exploits the vulnerabilities of teenagers. The Massachusetts case stands out for drawing attention to CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s alleged disregard for the potential harm of the platform.

(With contributions from agencies.)