WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court recently dismissed an appeal that aimed to prevent a lawsuit claiming Facebook and Instagram have caused harm to young users. This ruling occurs amid increased legal scrutiny on social media companies.
Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, appealed after Vermont’s highest court allowed a lawsuit from its attorney general to proceed, filed in 2023. The company is currently facing similar allegations from various states that accuse it of intentionally creating addictive features.
Meta contended that it couldn’t be liable in a Vermont court because neither the company nor the app has concrete connections to the state. Vermont argued that the platforms’ significant teen user base grants jurisdiction to its courts.
In a brief, unexplained order, the Supreme Court chose not to hear the appeal—a common practice in such cases. This decision follows Meta and YouTube’s setbacks in other social media addiction lawsuits in California and New Mexico.
The Vermont lawsuit emerged after an investigation involving a bipartisan group of attorneys general across multiple states. Reports based on Meta’s own research indicated the company was aware of the negative impact Instagram has on teenagers, particularly girls, concerning mental health and body image. An internal study highlighted alarming statistics, with 13.5% of teen girls noting that Instagram worsened suicidal thoughts and 17% reporting an increase in eating disorders.
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly all teens aged 13 to 17 in the U.S. use social media, with about a third stating they are online “almost constantly.”
Meta claims it has already rolled out several tools to assist teens and their families, suggesting a willingness to collaborate with states on guidelines for youth social media usage.
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark praised the Supreme Court’s decision, stating it reinforces the principle that companies operating in Vermont, like Meta, can be held responsible for harming children.
