Meta, the company that owns Facebook, must face lawsuits from US states that accuse it of encouraging addiction to social networks among teenagers, a federal judge in California ruled on Tuesday.
Oakland County District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied Matt's request to dismiss claims made by federal states in two separate lawsuits filed last year, one involving more than 30 states and the other involving only Florida.
Meta argued that federal law blocked some of the claims and that the states failed to point out the misleading statements it made.
The judge placed certain limitations on the states' claims, but allowed the case to continue. It also rejected Meta's request to dismiss some claims about dependence on social networks made by individual states.
The states are asking the court to limit Meta's allegedly illegal business practices and seeking unspecified monetary damages.
Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Meta, Biddens-owned TikTok and Alphabet-owned YouTube, alleging that the companies create addictive algorithms that lead to anxiety, depression and body image problems among adolescents, without warning of the risks.
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