The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled on Friday that Meta Platforms must face a lawsuit brought by the state's attorney general. The suit alleges that the parent company of Facebook and Instagram intentionally designed platform features to addict young users.
Key Ruling Points This decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court marks the first time a state supreme court in the U.S. has ruled on whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act applies to such a case. This federal law typically shields internet companies from liability for content posted by users. The court determined that Section 230 does not apply to the part of Massachusetts's case accusing Meta of making false statements about its platforms' safety, as the state "primarily seeks to hold Meta accountable for its own business conduct," not for content posted by third parties.
Meta has denied the allegations and stated that the company has implemented extensive measures to protect the safety of teens and young users on its platforms.
Case Background The lawsuit, filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, alleges that features such as Instagram's push notifications, the "like" button, and infinite scroll are designed to exploit adolescents' psychological vulnerability and "fear of missing out" for profit. The suit claims internal data shows the platform is addicting children and causing harm, while senior management rejected proposed modifications that its own research indicated could improve youth well-being.
A National Wave of Legal Action This ruling comes as legal pressure against social media companies intensifies across the United States. Just weeks earlier, on March 25th, a jury in Los Angeles delivered a landmark verdict, finding Meta and Alphabet negligent in designing social media platforms harmful to adolescents. The jury awarded a total of $6 million to a 20-year-old female plaintiff who claimed she developed a social media addiction during her childhood from using Instagram and YouTube.
One day prior to that, another jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in civil penalties in a case brought by the New Mexico Attorney General. That lawsuit accused Meta of misleading users about the safety of Facebook and Instagram and allowing child sexual exploitation to occur on the platforms.
Additionally, 34 other states, including Mississippi, have filed similar lawsuits against Meta in federal court.
Comments