A recent ruling by a federal judge shielded Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg from personal liability in 25 lawsuits alleging that Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, contribute to addiction and mental health problems among children. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, based in Oakland, California, dismissed allegations that Zuckerberg directly led or coordinated efforts to hide potential mental health risks from young users.

Relief for Titan Tech

The ruling, handed down Thursday, found that while Zuckerberg has control over Meta’s activities, the plaintiffs lacked specific evidence of his personal involvement in any alleged wrongdoing. Judge Rogers pointed out that “control over corporate activity alone is insufficient” to hold him liable, although the decision does not affect related claims still pending against Meta itself.

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The plaintiffs, represented by Previn Warren of Motley Rice, filed complaints in 13 US states, including major states like New York, Texas and Ohio, and vowed to continue gathering evidence. Warren noted that his clients are determined to bring transparency to how Big Tech companies like Meta may have put profit over the well-being of young users. These lawsuits join hundreds of other legal actions by families, children and school districts against social media companies, including Google, ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) and Snap, accusing them of encouraging social media addiction.

Additionally, dozens of state attorneys general have filed parallel cases against Meta, citing connections between social media use and growing concerns about mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and the negative impact on education and everyday life. The growing legal pressure on the social media giants reflects growing public concern about the impact of these platforms on the mental health of young people, especially as more evidence points to potential links between online activity and real-world challenges for young users.