A Massachusetts judge will let the commonwealth continue to litigate claims against Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
In its lawsuit, Massachusetts contends that Meta’s platforms include features that were designed to be as addictive as possible. Attorneys for the Bay State say that these features have taken a significant toll on children’s mental health as well as their physical well-being.
Earlier this year, Meta filed a petition to have Massachusetts’ lawsuit dismissed, alleging that federal law and the First Amendment shield it from litigation. But, on Thursday, Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Peter Krupp said that the federal Communication Decency Act’s provisions don’t apply to purportedly false statements Meta made about efforts to protect children on its platforms.
The lawsuit, Krupp wrote, is “principally seeking to hold Meta liable for its own business conduct,” whereas the Communication Decency Act only shields social media companies from liability arising from user content.
“Meta has failed to establish that the claims are entirely based on protected speech or expression and that therefore dismissal is appropriate,” Krupp said.
Meta has since criticized the court’s finding, with a spokesperson emphasizing the numerous tools that the company has developed with the supposed aim of protecting teenagers’ mental health.
“We disagree with the court’s decisions on these motions to dismiss,” a Meta spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement. “We’ve developed numerous tools to support parents and teens, and we recently announced that we’re significantly changing the Instagram experience for tens of millions of teens with new Teen Accounts, a protected experienced for teens that automatically limits who can contact them and the content they see.”
Outside of Massachusetts, dozens of other state attorneys general announced the filing of a far-reaching lawsuit against Meta. Filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the complaint levies similar allegations of exploitative practices.
“Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the lawsuit. “Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable.”
Meta has said that it is “disappointed” in the states’ decision to sue.
“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
Sources
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