Zuckerberg not liable for social media addiction in children: Judge
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been cleared of personal liability in more than two dozen lawsuits. The lawsuits were filed by parents and school districts who alleged that his company platforms like Instagram and Facebook contributed to social media addiction among kids. The ruling was issued by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of California on Thursday, Business Insider reported.
Allegations against Meta and Zuckerberg
The plaintiffs alleged that Meta knew about the potential health risks posed by its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, particularly to young users. They claimed that the company failed to disclose these risks, hid them with "misleading talking points," and prevented users from learning about them. The lawsuits also suggested that Zuckerberg was instrumental in Meta's alleged concealment and omissions.
Judge rules insufficient evidence against Zuckerberg
Judge Rogers said the plaintiffs didn't provide enough evidence to prove Zuckerberg personally orchestrated the suppression of information about the dangers of social media. The court document read, "While possible that discovery may reveal a more active participation and direction by Zuckerberg in Meta's alleged fraudulent concealment, the allegations before the Court are insufficient to meet the standard for corporate-officer liability in the 13 at-issue jurisdictions."
Global scrutiny on social media's impact on youth
The ruling comes as global scrutiny mounts over the impact of social media on young users. In October, attorneys general from 14 US states had sued TikTok, claiming that the app is addictive and profits from harming children's mental health. The legal approach is similar to tactics once used by the US government against the opioid and tobacco industries.
Australia's proposed age restriction and Meta's response
In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently proposed a law to ban kids under 16 from having social media accounts. In response, Antigone Davis, Meta's head of safety, said that the company would comply with any age restrictions imposed by the Australian government. However, Meta representatives have not commented on Judge Rogers's ruling in California.
Plaintiffs' representative vows to continue legal battle
Previn Warren, a plaintiffs' representative at Motley Rice LLC, confirmed that their lawsuit against Meta remains active. He said, "Whether Mark Zuckerberg is held accountable in his personal capacity or not, our lawsuit against Meta, the company he has led for 20 years, is moving forward." The legal action includes dozens of plaintiffs and also lists other tech giants Snap, ByteDance (TikTok), and Google as defendants.
