Court rejects Meta's attempt to throw out states' lawsuit over child safety

Meta Platforms has suffered a legal setback after a US federal judge refused to dismiss major portions of a lawsuit brought by 29 state attorneys general, clearing the way for claims that the company designed Facebook and Instagram in ways that encourage compulsive use among children, as per a Reuters report.In a ruling issued on Monday, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied Meta's request to throw out claims alleging deceptive business practices, unfair conduct and violations of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The judge also granted summary judgment in favour of the states on claims that Meta failed to comply with the law's notice and parental consent requirements.The lawsuit accuses Meta of knowingly concealing the potential harms of its social media platforms while designing features that encourage prolonged engagement among younger users. The states argue that these practices have contributed to a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, interference with education and, in severe cases, self-harm and suicide.Responding to the decision, Meta said it strongly disputes the allegations and remains confident that the evidence will demonstrate its long-standing efforts to support young users on its platforms.California Attorney General Rob Bonta described the ruling as an important step in efforts to hold the company accountable, saying the decision strengthens the states' case over the impact of social media on children's mental health.Also read: Meta restricts employees' use of Claude Code and Codex over model distillation: ReportMeta had argued that the attorneys general failed to provide evidence showing it misled users about the alleged addictive nature of Facebook and Instagram. The company also maintained that "social media addiction" is not a recognised psychiatric diagnosis and therefore statements denying addictiveness could not be considered false.The company further contended that Facebook and Instagram are intended for a general audience rather than children under the age of 13, arguing that the children's privacy law should not apply in the manner alleged by the states.However, Judge Gonzalez Rogers found there were significant factual disputes that should be resolved at trial, including whether Meta intentionally designed its platforms to encourage compulsive use, whether its public statements about those designs were misleading, and whether its services were, at least in part, directed at children.The judge wrote that the states had presented a reasonable interpretation of Meta's public statements and concluded that a jury could determine those statements were untrue if evidence shows the platforms were intentionally designed to encourage excessive use among teenagers.The case is part of a broader wave of litigation against social media companies over the impact of their platforms on young users. Judge Gonzalez Rogers is also overseeing multidistrict litigation involving more than 2,600 individuals, school districts and local governments pursuing similar claims against major technology companies, including platforms operated by Google, Snapchat and TikTok.A trial involving claims brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey against Meta is currently scheduled to begin on August 18.