Mark Zuckerberg is not personally responsible for children’s addiction to Facebook and Instagram

A US federal court has ruled that Meta✴ CEO Mark Zuckerberg is not personally liable for harm caused to children by addiction to social networks Facebook✴ and Instagram✴. The decision comes as part of more than two dozen lawsuits alleging that Meta✴ knowingly concealed and deliberately misled potential health risks for users, especially children.

Image source: about.fb.com

Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of California made the decision in a ten-page court document. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of parents and educational organizations, alleges that Meta✴ was aware of the health risks posed by Facebook✴ and Instagram✴ and that children are especially vulnerable to these effects. The plaintiffs allege that Meta✴ knowingly concealed information about these risks by using “misleading statements,” thereby limiting users’ awareness of possible threats.

The plaintiffs also allege that Zuckerberg acted not only as an executive, but also as a key mastermind behind Meta✴’s information suppression policies. In their opinion, he was aware of potential threats and was directly involved in the formation of the company’s strategy, deliberately aimed at concealing risks. However, Judge Rogers noted that the evidence presented in the materials is insufficient to establish Zuckerberg’s personal liability as a head of the company in accordance with the corporate laws of the thirteen jurisdictions covered by the lawsuit.

This court decision comes against the backdrop of growing concern in the global community about the impact of social networks on the mental health of children and adolescents. In October, fourteen US attorneys general filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the service of creating an addiction that has detrimental effects on the mental health of minors. Legal experts say such lawsuits use legal strategies similar to those used by the U.S. government in its fight against the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries.

In parallel, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently proposed legislation that would prohibit children under the age of sixteen from registering on social media. Antigone Davis, head of security at Meta✴, told The Associated Press that the company is prepared to comply with any age restrictions the Australian government may impose. At the same time, Meta✴ representatives refrained from commenting on the California court’s decision, and Zuckerberg’s lawyers did not respond to journalists’ requests.

Previn Warren, who is representing the plaintiffs on behalf of Motley Rice LLC, told Business Insider that they will continue to fight Meta✴ whether Zuckerberg is personally prosecuted or not. “Our goal is to provide hundreds of families and educational organizations whose interests we protect with the opportunity to defend their rights in court. “We are committed to continuing the discovery process to uncover exactly how major technology companies are deliberately putting profits ahead of children’s safety,” Warren said.

Dozens of plaintiffs are currently involved in litigation against Meta✴. In addition to Meta✴, Snap, ByteDance and Google are also defendants in the lawsuit. In December 2023, plaintiffs filed a new lawsuit alleging that their use of social media has resulted in serious physical and psychological injury, disability, impairment, and other serious illnesses. The lawsuit also alleges significant costs, including medical expenses, lost earnings, disability and other permanent consequences that continue to negatively impact people’s quality of life.