Meta is pushing back against allegations that its social media platforms Instagram and Facebook are deliberately designed to keep children hooked and contribute to the youth mental health crisis.
The company is facing a series of lawsuits, including a case in a California federal court in which four states are seeking billions of dollars in damages and changes to the way Meta operates its platforms.
Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt told the court that the company takes children's mental health and their experiences on social media seriously.
“Meta takes seriously and tries to act on” children's mental health and what they do and see on social media, Schmidt said.
Meta's defence focuses on the safety measures it has introduced over the years, arguing that it has not ignored concerns about young users.
The company points to tools designed to tackle harassment, inappropriate content and unwanted interactions, as well as measures intended to limit children's exposure to potentially harmful material.
Meta says Facebook and Instagram have a minimum age of 13 and that it has increased efforts to identify and remove users who are younger than 13.
The company also says it prevents adults from starting private conversations with teenagers when they are not already connected.
Meta acknowledges that some users provide incorrect birthdays when signing up, but says it takes enforcement of its age restrictions seriously.
One of Meta's key arguments is its Teen Accounts feature, introduced in 2024.
The company describes Teen Accounts as a safer environment for teenagers, with stronger restrictions on the content they can view and who can contact them.
Meta says photo and video restrictions for teen accounts are broadly aligned with the standards of a PG-13 movie, unless parents provide permission for otherwise restricted content.
The company also highlights warnings and resources displayed in Instagram searches involving subjects such as suicide, self-harm and eating disorders.
Meta also points to parental supervision features and in-app reminders designed to encourage teenagers to spend less time on its platforms.
The company says Instagram and Facebook can send "nudges" to teenagers who repeatedly view similar content or spend extended periods on the platforms late at night.
