Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is facing allegations of concealing internal research that linked the use of its social media platform to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Recently unredacted court filings reveal that the company halted a study which found users who stopped using Facebook reported lower rates of these conditions. Legal documents allege that Meta abandoned further investigation and refrained from public disclosure to avoid potential public backlash and regulatory pressures.
The documents, released as part of a long-running, high-profile lawsuit brought by US school districts, claim that Meta’s internal communications show the company was aware of the negative effects of its platform on children and teenagers. The lawsuit alleges that social media platforms have caused mental harm and addiction among minors. In a 2020 study, Meta conducted research asking people to stop using Facebook for a period of time, comparing them to a control group that continued normal use. The findings indicated that users who discontinued their Facebook usage reported lower instances of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social comparison. However, the company reportedly chose to halt the project, citing that participants’ feedback was influenced by the existing media narrative around the company.
Despite these findings, the court filings allege that Meta lied to Congress about what it knew. The social media giant has faced increasing scrutiny in the US in recent months. In October, Meta announced new safeguards for its ‘teen accounts,’ allowing parents to disable communication between their children and the company’s AI chatbots, following earlier revelations that they could engage minors in romantic or sensual conversations. Additionally, Meta has faced pressure from the US Federal Trade Commission, which has accused it of holding a monopoly in social networking. However, a recent Washington district court ruling favored Meta in an 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.’ These developments highlight the growing concerns about the impact of social media on mental health and the potential for corporate misinformation.