Lawsuit claims Meta knew Instagram was harming teens but kept addictive features

Lawsuit claims Meta knew Instagram was harming teens but kept addictive features During opening statements in a seven-week trial in state court in Tennessee, the state's lawyers said Meta researchers repeatedly flagged that some teenagers were compulsively using the platform - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Tennessee attorneys opened a closely watched trial Monday by accusing Meta of knowingly putting profits ahead of children's safety, alleging the company ignored its own research showing Instagram could harm teenagers while continuing to design features that kept them hooked. Lawyers for the state told jurors that Meta's internal researchers repeatedly warned the company that heavy Instagram use was linked to eating disorders, depression and self-harm among teens. Despite those findings, they said, Meta left features such as autoplay, push notifications and infinite scroll in place because they encouraged young users to stay on the app longer and view more advertising. To drive the point home, state attorney Tom Cartmell played the familiar sound of a smartphone notification in court, arguing the alert was no accident. "Unpredictable rewards like notifications trigger dopamine hits that promote addiction," Cartmell said, adding that the effect is especially powerful on developing teenage brains. He argued Meta fully understood "the brain science behind why teens find its platform so irresistible" and pointed jurors to a 2017 internal company document in which product managers allegedly acknowledged that notifications and infinite scroll "are inherently at odds with well-being" and even discussed warning users. "That warning never came," Cartmell said. Meta rejected the allegations, telling jurors the same internal documents cited by Tennessee show the company actively studied potential harms so it could improve its products. Attorney Kevin Huff said Meta has been open about the challenges teens face online and has invested heavily in tools that limit problematic use, detect harmful content and give parents and teachers more ways to protect young users. He argued it would be wrong to hold Meta solely responsible for broader social problems such as suicide, addiction and child exploitation. "Protecting teens online is a shared responsibility," Huff said. "It takes a village." The lawsuit, brought by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, seeks steep financial penalties and a court order forcing Meta to change Instagram features the state says are harmful to teenagers' mental health. If jurors find Meta liable after the expected seven-week trial, Chancellor Russell Perkins will decide how much the company should pay and what changes, if any, must be made to the platform. The case is only the second state lawsuit against Meta to reach a jury. Earlier this year, a New Mexico jury found Meta liable and ordered the company to pay $375 million. A judge there is still considering whether to impose additional penalties and require changes to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp within the state. The Tennessee lawsuit is part of a broader legal battle facing the social media giant. Nearly every U.S. state has sued Meta over claims its platforms contribute to poor mental health among children and teens, while thousands of additional lawsuits have been filed by individuals, families and school districts. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments