Meta is defending its record on protecting minors as it confronts a lawsuit filed by California, New York, Illinois and Texas in a federal court in California. The plaintiffs claim the company’s design choices on Instagram and Facebook intentionally create addictive experiences for children, contributing to a youth mental‑health crisis.
Legal claims and sought relief
The four states allege Meta’s platforms employ “attention‑capture deceptive designs” – infinite scrolling, push notifications and algorithmic recommendations – that prey on developing brains. They are seeking billions of dollars in damages and court‑ordered changes to how the social‑media giant operates its services for users under 13, the minimum age for a Facebook or Instagram account.
Meta’s response
Paul Schmidt, Meta’s attorney, told the court that the company has a long history of taking children’s safety seriously. He noted that Meta has added comment‑filtering tools, content‑warning labels for suicide, self‑harm and eating‑disorder searches, and a “Teen Accounts” feature launched in 2024 that applies PG‑13‑level restrictions unless a parent grants permission.
Meta also says it blocks adults from starting private chats with teens who are not already connected and has increased verification checks to keep under‑13 users off its platforms. Schmidt acknowledged that some users falsify birth dates but asserted that the company enforces age limits “as seriously as possible.”
Critics say protections fall short
Advocates, including Marc Berkman of the Organization for Social Media Safety, argue Meta’s safeguards were introduced more in response to public pressure than genuine concern. A 2025 report by former Meta employee Arturo Béjar and several safety nonprofits found that 60% of the company’s 53 teen‑safety features were either unavailable or ineffective.
Haley Hinkle of Fairplay, a co‑author of the report, said the “Teen Accounts” marketing was “very lacking in actual protections.” Meta called the report “misleading” and “dangerously speculative.”
Design features under scrutiny
Researchers point to infinite scrolling, “casino‑style” pull‑to‑refresh, and algorithmic feeds as design elements that keep children engaged far longer than intended. While Meta has taken steps to curb harassment and explicit content, critics say the company has not applied comparable effort to mitigate the addictive nature of these design choices.
Parental tools and time‑management features
Meta offers voluntary time‑management tools, such as “Take a Break” prompts and parental supervision controls. Critics note these features require users to enable them manually and are difficult to set up, rendering them “far too little, too late.” Béjar testified that the “Take a Break” tool is “designed to fail” because few users activate it.
Potential broader impact
The lawsuit adds to growing pressure on lawmakers to regulate social‑media design practices. Legal experts say the case frames the platforms as defective products by design, not merely as carriers of harmful content. If successful, the ruling could force Meta and other for‑profit tech companies to redesign core features to protect children’s mental health.
As the case proceeds, both the tech industry and advocacy groups are watching closely, hoping that economic and legal pressure will drive more substantive changes to keep children safe online.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
