Meta to remove lawsuit ads around teen social media addiction: Report

Meta Platforms has announced it will stop running ads on Facebook and Instagram that recruit new plaintiffs for ongoing lawsuits accusing the company and other social media firms of designing addictive platforms targeting young users.

According to a Reuters report, Andy Stone Meta spokesperson, said that the company is actively defending itself in thousands of cases filed in both state and federal courts in California and is removing the ads. He added, "We will not allow trial lawyers to profit from our platforms while simultaneously claiming they are harmful."

The decision follows Meta’s losses in two significant trials. In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google liable for a young woman’s depression and suicidal thoughts linked to Instagram and YouTube addiction, ordering $6 million in damages combined.

Separately, a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million after ruling the company misled users about product safety for young people and allowed sexual exploitation on its platforms.

More than 3,300 lawsuits related to addiction claims are pending in California state court against Meta, Google, Snap Inc, and ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. Additionally, 2,400 federal lawsuits filed by individuals, municipalities, states, and school districts have been centralised in California.

The state cases mainly involve individuals claiming social media addiction caused mental health harm. Federal cases include public entities seeking compensation for costs incurred addressing the impact on young users’ mental health.

Law firms representing plaintiffs often work on contingency, earning fees only if damages or settlements are awarded. To build viable cases, they run ads on various media to recruit plaintiffs who might not otherwise know about the litigation.

Firms like Morgan & Morgan, involved in the Los Angeles case, placed ads on Facebook. Other companies, including White Heart Legal, advertise these cases on social media platforms.

Google also hosts ads for these lawsuits, including those by the Social Media Victims Law Centre. Google has not confirmed whether it will remove these ads.

Meta’s ad removal reflects its effort to limit trial lawyers’ use of its platforms amid ongoing legal challenges. The company continues to deny the allegations and states it implements extensive measures to protect young users.