Massachusetts Sues Meta Over Instagram Addiction Risks to Teens

Massachusetts has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, accusing the company of making Instagram addictive for teens and misleading the public about its mental health risks. A state judge denied Meta's attempt to dismiss the case, arguing it's liable for its own business conduct, not user content.

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

Meta attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects internet companies from legal responsibility for user-generated content. However, the judge determined this did not shield 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 larger pattern of legal challenges facing Meta, including federal cases with similar allegations that the platform's design exploits teens' vulnerabilities. Massachusetts' case is notable for drawing attention to CEO Mark Zuckerberg's alleged disregard for the platform's potential harm.

(With inputs from agencies.)