Meta ignored internal findings on Instagram's risks to teens, jury told in trial
Summary
Lawyers for the state of Tennessee told a jury that Meta ignored its own research showing Instagram harms teenagers’ mental health by causing compulsive use, eating disorders, depression, and self-harm. The trial focuses on whether Meta should face penalties and be ordered to change Instagram to make it safer for teens.Key Facts
- Tennessee’s attorneys say Meta’s internal research showed Instagram harms teens’ mental health.
- Features like autoplay, notifications, and infinite scroll were kept to increase time teens spend on Instagram and boost ad revenue.
- Meta’s lawyers say the company works to fix problems and informs the public about risks.
- Notifications trigger dopamine, making the app addictive, especially for teenagers.
- Meta’s internal documents from 2017 warned that some features harmed users’ well-being but these warnings were not made public.
- The lawsuit asks for financial penalties and changes to Instagram to protect teens better.
- Similar lawsuits over social media’s impact on children have been filed by almost every US state.
- A previous jury in New Mexico found Meta liable and ordered a $375 million payment.
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