US Supreme Court Lets Vermont Teen Social Media Addiction Suit Against Meta Continue

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away Meta's attempt to block a case claiming Facebook and Instagram damaged younger users, at a time when major social media firms are under growing legal pressure.

Meta Platforms Inc, the parent of both apps, went to the high court after Vermont's top court said a 2023 lawsuit brought by the state's attorney general could continue. The company is also battling comparable actions from other states, which allege that it deliberately built features meant to keep users hooked.

Meta told the courts that Vermont had no authority to hear the matter because the company and the disputed app designs were not specifically connected to the state. Vermont argued in response that the platforms' heavy use among teenagers there was enough to give its courts jurisdiction.

In a short order without an explanation, the Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal, which is its usual practice in such decisions. The ruling is procedural, but it follows setbacks for Meta and YouTube in separate social media addiction cases in California and New Mexico.

Vermont filed its claim after an inquiry by a bipartisan group of attorneys general from several states. Reports in newspapers, drawing on Meta's internal research, also said the company was aware of the risks Instagram posed to teenagers, particularly girls, in relation to mental health and body image. One company study cited in the reports said 13.5 per cent of teen girls believed Instagram worsened suicidal thoughts, while 17 per cent said it made eating disorders worse.

Nearly all US teenagers between 13 and 17 say they use at least one social media platform, and roughly one in three say they are on social media "almost constantly", according to the Pew Research Center.

Meta has said it has put in place dozens of features aimed at helping teenagers and their families. The company also indicated that it would have been willing to work with states on rules for young people's social media use.

Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark welcomed the Supreme Court's move, saying it confirms "that companies that choose to do business in Vermont, like Meta, can be held accountable when they harm kids".