Why Everyone Seems To Be Suing Meta

Social media is everywhere, and most of us can’t imagine life without it. But behind the endless scroll and viral videos, questions about safety, mental health, and ethics are piling up—especially for kids and teens.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has found itself at the center of a storm of lawsuits, whistleblower claims, and regulatory scrutiny.

Here’s what you need to know.

Meta’s Legal Mess: Project Mercury

Back in late 2019, Meta ran Project Mercury, an internal study exploring the mental health impact of Facebook. Early findings reportedly showed that people who stopped using Facebook felt less depressed and anxious.

Instead of sounding the alarm, Meta allegedly halted the research and didn’t share the results publicly, sparking comparisons to how tobacco companies once hid harmful findings, according to a filing released on Friday, reported CNBC.

Meta disputes this, saying the study was flawed and only showed benefits for people who believed social media was harming them, not a causal effect of usage itself.

Instagram Under Fire: From Reels To Risks

Instagram’s safety systems have been criticized for failing to stop harmful content from reaching teens, including explicit or graphic videos.

Whistleblower reports reveal a “17-strikes” rule, letting accounts linked to sex trafficking violate rules multiple times before removal.

The introduction of Reels reportedly increased interactions between adults and minors in potentially unsafe ways, while recommendation algorithms suggested millions of inappropriate accounts to teens.

Content Moderation And AI: Safety Concerns Ramp Up

Meta’s content moderation has faced sharp criticism. The Oversight Board earlier condemned rushed policy changes that left posts inciting violence online, while Amnesty International in February 2025 warned that rolling back automated moderation could fuel hate speech, misinformation, and violence.

Leaks also suggest Meta’s AI products may have engaged in inappropriate conversations with children, raising further concerns about platform safety.

How Americans Really Use Social Media

According to Pew Research released earlier this month, YouTube (84%) and Facebook (71%) dominate usage among U.S. adults, while Instagram hits 50% and TikTok is steadily rising (37%).

Daily use is heaviest among younger adults, with roughly half of 18–29-year-olds checking TikTok or YouTube daily.

This means that even as lawsuits and scrutiny pile up, social media remains deeply embedded in everyday life—especially for the next generation.

Why You Should Probably Pay More Attention To It

Meta’s challenges highlight a broader question: how do social media platforms balance engagement, safety, and ethics?

With millions of teens online every day, ongoing lawsuits, and public concern over mental health, this is one tech story that isn’t going away anytime soon.

For parents, educators, and investors, the stakes are high—and understanding the risks of these platforms is more important than ever.

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