{"id":47557,"date":"2026-04-11T10:56:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T10:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=47557"},"modified":"2026-04-11T10:56:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T10:56:10","slug":"meta-must-face-youth-addiction-lawsuit-by-massachusetts-court-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=47557","title":{"rendered":"Meta\u00a0must face youth addiction lawsuit by Massachusetts, court rules"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Meta\u00a0Platforms\u00a0must face a lawsuit by Massachusetts\u2019 attorney general alleging the company designed its Instagram social media platform to addict children, the state\u2019s top court ruled on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/fingfx.thomsonreuters.com\/gfx\/legaldocs\/mopaoyzqlpa\/04102026meta.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ruling\u00a0by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court<\/a> marked the first time a state high court has considered whether a federal law that generally shields internet companies from lawsuits over content posted by their users would also bar claims that companies like\u00a0Meta\u00a0knowingly addicted young users.<\/p>\n<p>Writing for the unanimous court, Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt said the lawsuit brought by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell does not seek to hold\u00a0Meta\u00a0liable for content created by its users \u2014 which Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 generally shields companies from \u2014 but targets the company\u2019s conduct.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"39049494\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<figcaption>Meta is facing thousands of lawsuits by individuals, municipalities, states and school districts nationwide seeking to hold\u00a0Meta <span class=\"credit\">AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cInstead, the claims allege harm stemming from\u00a0Meta\u2019s own conduct either by designing a social media platform that capitalizes on the developmental vulnerabilities of children or by affirmatively misleading consumers about the safety of the Instagram platform,\u201d Wendlandt wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Campbell, a Democrat, hailed the ruling in a statement, calling it a \u201cmajor step in holding these companies accountable for practices that have fueled the youth mental health crisis and put profits over kids.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Spokespeople for\u00a0Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Meta\u00a0has denied the allegations and says the company takes extensive steps to keep teens and young users safe on its platforms.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit is one of thousands of cases by individuals, municipalities, states and school districts nationwide seeking to hold\u00a0Meta\u00a0and other social media companies responsible for allegations that they designed their platforms \u200cto be addictive to young users.<\/p>\n<p>Friday\u2019s ruling<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/03\/25\/us-news\/jury-takes-on-instagram-and-youtube-in-social-media-showdown\/\"> followed a landmark trial<\/a> in which a Los Angeles \u200bjury\u00a0on March 25 found\u00a0Meta\u00a0and Alphabet\u2019s Google negligent for designing social media platforms that are harmful to young people. It awarded a combined $6 million to a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to social media as a child.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"39049492\"><br \/>\n\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<\/button><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.31282051;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"39049492\" width=\"775\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Mark Zuckerberg walking into Los Angeles Superior Court.\" class=\"wp-image-39049492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 2400w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=300,229&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=768,585&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=1024,780&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=1536,1171&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=2048,1561&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=600,457&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=773,589&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 773w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=651,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 651w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=576,439&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=440,335&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=370,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 370w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=180,137&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=93,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 93w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=52,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 52w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=92,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 92w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=71,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 71w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=200,152&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=231,176&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=322,245&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=579,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 579w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=79,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 79w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=105,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 105w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=1200,915&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=76,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 76w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=205,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 205w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=50,38&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/mark-zuckerberg-los-angeles-superior-121642820.jpg?resize=150,114&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 775px) 100vw, 775px\"\/><figcaption>The Massachusetts lawsuit drew headlines because of allegations it first aired about how CEO Mark Zuckerberg, center,  had been dismissive of concerns that Instagram could have a harmful effect on users. <span class=\"credit\">Frederick M. Brown for California Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A separate jury a\u00a0day earlier found\u00a0Meta<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/03\/24\/business\/jury-weighs-metas-fate-in-landmark-new-mexico-case-accusing-firm-of-exposing-kids-to-online-sex-creeps\/\">\u00a0owed $375 million in civil penaltie<\/a>s in a lawsuit by New Mexico\u2019s attorney general, accusing the company of misleading users about the safety of Facebook and Instagram and of enabling child sexual exploitation on those platforms.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty-four other states are pursuing similar cases against\u00a0Meta\u00a0in federal court. The case by Campbell is one of at least nine that state attorneys general have filed since 2023 in state court, including one filed on Wednesday by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a Republican.<\/p>\n<p>Campbell\u2019s lawsuit garnered early headlines because of allegations it first aired about how CEO Mark Zuckerberg had been dismissive of concerns that aspects of Instagram could have a harmful effect on its users.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit alleged that features on Instagram, such as push notifications, \u201clikes\u201d of user posts and a never-ending scroll were designed to profit off teens\u2019 psychological vulnerabilities and their \u201cfear of missing out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The state alleged that internal data showed the platform was addicting and harming children, yet top executives rejected changes its research showed would improve teens\u2019 well-being.<\/p>\n<p>Menlo Park, California-based\u00a0Meta\u00a0had sought to duck the Massachusetts case based on Section 230. But a\u00a0trial court judge rejected\u00a0that argument, prompting\u00a0Meta\u00a0to appeal.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/10\/business\/meta-must-face-youth-addiction-lawsuit-by-massachusetts-court-rules\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meta\u00a0Platforms\u00a0must face a lawsuit by Massachusetts\u2019 attorney general alleging the company designed its Instagram social media platform to addict children, the state\u2019s top court ruled on&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47557"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47557\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/47558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}