New Delhi: Meta Platforms is set to face a major trial in the US state of Tennessee, where state authorities allege that the company intentionally designed Instagram to encourage addictive use among teenagers despite internal research indicating that the platform could negatively affect young users’ mental health. The lawsuit alleges violations of Tennessee’s consumer protection laws.
According to the lawsuit filed by the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, Meta failed to disclose internal research highlighting the potential risks of Instagram for teenagers and continued offering platform features without adequately warning users about their possible harmful effects. The state also alleges that the company made misleading public statements regarding the safety of its platform.
The complaint further alleges that Meta founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg was repeatedly informed by company employees about research showing Instagram’s adverse impact on teenagers. Despite these warnings, the lawsuit claims that the company failed to devote sufficient resources to reduce those risks.
Tennessee is seeking financial penalties as well as a court order requiring Meta to modify several Instagram features that the state considers harmful to teenagers’ mental health. These include autoplay, Instagram Reels, persistent notifications, and disappearing content, which the lawsuit alleges encourage compulsive use.
Meta has denied the allegations, stating that it has spent years developing safeguards for teenage users. According to the company, Instagram includes age-appropriate default settings and parental supervision tools designed to help families manage young users’ online activity. Meta also argues that it cannot be held liable for content posted by third-party users and that Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act provides legal protection against such claims.
The trial will proceed in two phases. During the first phase, a jury will determine whether Meta violated Tennessee law. If the company is found liable, the second phase will determine the amount of financial penalties and whether Instagram must implement changes to its platform. Under Tennessee law, civil penalties of up to US$1,000 per violation may be imposed.
The Tennessee case is one of thousands of lawsuits Meta is facing across the United States over the alleged impact of its social media platforms on children and teenagers. A separate federal trial in California involving claims brought by 29 states over children’s data privacy and related state law violations is scheduled to begin in August. In addition, a lawsuit filed by a Florida teenager against Meta and Snap Inc. over alleged mental health harms is scheduled for trial on July 27.
Earlier this year, a jury in New Mexico found that Meta had misled consumers about the safety of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, awarding the state US$375 million in damages. The court is still considering whether to order additional platform changes and impose further remedies in that case.
