Social Media Giants Accused of Hiding Research on Teen Mental Health Harm
Internal documents and statements from Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat reveal that these social media giants were aware of the addictive nature of their platforms and the potential harm to teens, yet continued to target them. According to a newly unsealed legal filing, internal communications show executives acknowledging that the platforms’ designs could be harmful to users’ mental health, with one internal message comparing Instagram to a drug and another noting minors lack the executive function to control screen time. The lawsuit, brought by several school districts and individuals, alleges that the companies prioritized profit over user safety by deliberately designing features to maximize youth engagement and advertising revenue. While the companies deny the allegations, the filing raises questions about the effectiveness of safety features and their awareness of the platforms’ negative impact.
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood