Meta was unable to evade the new lawsuit alleging that teenagers are dependent on social media

The Massachusetts Supreme Court found Instagram intentionally “addictogenic”

Today the Massachusetts Supreme Court issued a ruling stating that the social network Instagram, developed by Meta, is deliberately designed to create addiction in children and teenagers. This is just one of thousands of lawsuits filed by individuals, municipalities, states, and school districts across the country aimed at holding Meta and other platforms accountable for intentionally fostering dependence among young users.

What’s happening in the industry
Meta and Google – leaders of the U.S. digital advertising market – have become defendants in numerous similar cases. All are trying to sidestep Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed in 1996, which protected sites from liability for user content and limited their role to moderation. TikTok, Snap, and other companies also found themselves in a difficult position.

The Massachusetts court’s decision
In its opinion, the court unequivocally rejected the applicability of Section 230 to the lawsuit against Meta. It held:

* “The harm was caused by Meta’s actions or by creating a platform that exploits children’s psychological vulnerability, or by deliberately misleading consumers about Instagram’s safety.”

The claim alleged that Instagram features—push notifications, likes, and infinite scroll—were specifically engineered to profit from teenagers’ fear of missing out on something important. Internal Meta research showed that the platform is addictive and harms children, but leadership refused changes that could mitigate the issue.

Related litigation
- Los Angeles: On March 25 a jury found Meta and Google negligent for creating platforms harmful to youth. The companies must pay $6 million to a woman who became addicted to social media in childhood.

- Another jury: Previously fined Meta $375 million for misleading users about the safety of Facebook and Instagram and facilitating child sexual exploitation.

Currently, 34 states are pursuing similar cases against Meta in federal courts. The company denies the allegations, citing extensive measures to ensure teen safety on its platforms.