A federal judge rejected the company’s request to close the case opened by the attorneys general of 29 US states.
A federal judge in the United States has rejected the request of the company Meta Platforms to close the lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of 29 American states, reports Reuters. Authorities accuse the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to create addiction among children and teenagers and of hiding the negative effects of the platforms from the public.
The decision was handed down by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California. The court ruled that the lawsuit can continue with regard to the allegations of deceptive and unfair commercial practices, as well as the alleged violations of federal legislation on the protection of children’s online privacy, writes Mediafax.
The court cites possible violations of child protection legislation
The judge concluded that Meta did not comply with the obligations provided by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) regarding informing parents and obtaining their consent in certain situations.
At the same time, the court found that there are enough elements for the litigation to continue and be analyzed on its merits.
Meta denies the allegations
The company said it does not agree with the allegations made by US prosecutors.
“We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident that the evidence will demonstrate our long-standing commitment to supporting young people,” Meta said in a statement.
The company claims that the term “social media addiction” is not recognized as a psychiatric diagnosis and states that Facebook and Instagram are intended for the general public, not exclusively for children under 13.
Prosecutors accuse Meta of concealing mental health effects
According to the lawsuit, research shows that Facebook and Instagram use by children and teens can be associated with depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, school difficulties and, in some cases, self-harm or suicidal behaviors.
The judge assessed that there are factual disputes that must be resolved in the trial. They target both the addictive nature of the platforms and Meta’s public claims about how they were designed.
In reasoning the decision, the magistrate said that a jury could conclude that the company’s statements were untrue if the evidence showed that the platforms were designed to encourage compulsive use by teenagers.
The first trial is scheduled for August
According to filings, the first trial is scheduled to begin on August 18 and covers actions brought by the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is also presiding over a separate lawsuit in which more than 2,600 individuals, school districts and local governments accuse Meta and other tech companies that their platforms are addictive among children. Targeted companies include Google, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok.
