Written by Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) – A federal judge ruled that Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg is not personally responsible for allegations in 25 lawsuits claiming his company contributed to social media addiction in children. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California dismissed claims that Zuckerberg directed efforts to hide the mental health risks of using Facebook and Instagram from children. The plaintiffs accused Zuckerberg of being the driving force behind these alleged concealment efforts, claiming he ignored internal warnings and downplayed the risks publicly.
However, the judge found a lack of specific evidence of wrongdoing by Zuckerberg and stated that “control of corporate activity alone is not enough” to establish liability. This decision does not impact the ongoing claims against Meta itself.
The lawsuits were filed under the laws of 13 U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Previn Warren, a partner at Motley Rice representing the plaintiffs, stated that his clients will continue to gather evidence “to uncover the truth about how Big Tech has prioritized profits over the safety of our children.”
The 25 lawsuits are part of a larger number of cases brought by children, families, and school districts seeking damages from Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat over social media addiction.
Several U.S. state attorneys general are also pursuing similar cases against Meta, connecting its social media platforms to issues such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and disruptions to education and daily life.
The case is titled In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, and it is being heard in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 22-md-03047.