Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is accused of covering up internal research that found a connection between Facebook use and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. New court filings, recently unredacted, reveal that the company halted a study which showed that users who stopped Facebook for a week reported lower levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social comparison. According to the filings, Meta claimed the feedback was biased due to existing media narratives against the company, despite its own findings. The documents also allege that Meta misled Congress about its knowledge of these health impacts. The research was part of a broader lawsuit, brought by US school districts, which claims social media platforms have caused mental harm and addiction among children and teenagers.
The social media giant has faced increased scrutiny in the US in recent months. In October, Meta said it would add new safeguards to its ‘teen accounts,’ allowing parents to turn off their children’s communications with the company’s AI chatbots, following earlier revelations that they could engage minors in romantic or sensual conversation. The company has also faced pressure from the US Federal Trade Commission, which has accused it of holding a monopoly in social networking. However, last week a Washington district court ruled in Meta’s favor in the antitrust lawsuit, stating that the US competition watchdog had not proven that the company currently holds a monopoly, ‘whether or not Meta enjoyed monopoly power in the past.’