Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts’ highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state’s lawsuit alleging that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive for young users.
The lawsuit, filed in 2024 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges Meta did this to make a profit and that his actions affected hundreds of thousands of young people in Massachusetts who use social media platforms.
“We make claims based solely on the tools Meta has developed because its own research shows that they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” State Attorney David Kravitz said, adding that the state’s claim has nothing to do with the company’s algorithms or failure to moderate content.
Meta said in a statement on Friday that it strongly disagreed with the allegations and was “confident the evidence will demonstrate our long-standing commitment to supporting young people.” His attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit would “impose obligations to perform traditional broadcasting functions” and that his actions were protected by the First Amendment.
“The Commonwealth would have a better chance of circumventing the First Amendment if it claimed the speech was false or fraudulent,” Mosier said. “But once they recognize the truth of it, that brings it to the heart of the First Amendment.”
Meta facing federal and state lawsuits He claims that deliberately designed features like constant notifications and the ability to scroll endlessly make kids addicted.
In 2023, 33 states filed a joint lawsuit against the Menlo Park, California-based tech giant, alleging that Meta routinely collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal law. Additionally, states including Massachusetts have filed their own lawsuits in state courts over addictive properties and other harms to children.
Critics say Meta hasn’t done enough to address concerns about the safety and mental health of young people on its platforms. A. report former employee and Whistleblower Arturo Bejar and four nonprofit groups said this year that Meta chose not to take “real steps” to address security concerns, “instead opting for flashy headlines about new tools for parents and Instagram Teen Accounts for underage users.”
Meta said the report misrepresents its efforts on youth safety.
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Associated Press reporter Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, Calif., contributed to this report.
