Revealed: Meta Concealed Research Showing Social Media's Causal Link to Mental Health Harm, Court Documents Allege
Nov 23, 2025 10:15 am CST
Court filings reveal that Meta allegedly buried internal research demonstrating causal links between Facebook/Instagram usage and negative mental health outcomes. According to documents from a class action lawsuit by US school districts, Meta's "Project Mercury" found that users who deactivated their accounts for a week reported reduced depression, anxiety, and loneliness. The company reportedly terminated further research rather than publishing these findings, while continuing to tell Congress it couldn't quantify platform harms to teenagers.
Meta Challenges French Ruling on Facebook's Discriminatory Job Advertisement Algorithm
Nov 05, 2025 02:18 am CST
Meta Platforms has contested a landmark ruling by France's rights watchdog that found Facebook's algorithm discriminates based on gender in job advertisements. The Defenseur des Droits gave Meta three months to implement non-discriminatory measures, marking a significant step in European tech regulation and platform accountability. Women's rights organizations who initiated the complaint have welcomed this precedent-setting decision.
Meta Introduces 24-Hour "Ghost Posts" Feature to Threads App, Mirroring Popular Stories Function
Oct 28, 2025 01:23 pm CST
Meta has launched a new ephemeral content feature called "ghost posts" on its Threads platform that automatically disappears after 24 hours. Similar to Instagram and Facebook stories, this feature encourages spontaneous sharing without permanence, directing replies to private inboxes and displaying as grayed-out bubbles in users' feeds. Threads, Meta's competitor to X, now boasts 400 million active users.
EU Commission Finds Meta and TikTok in Breach of Digital Services Act for Restricting Research Access
Oct 24, 2025 07:54 pm CST
The European Commission has issued preliminary findings that Meta and TikTok are violating the Digital Services Act by limiting researchers' access to public data. Additionally, Meta's platforms Facebook and Instagram were found to have confusing and ineffective mechanisms for reporting illegal content, potentially facing fines of up to 6% of their annual global revenue if violations are confirmed.
YouTube Challenges Australia's Social Media Ban: Why Restricting Children's Access May Not Improve Online Safety
Oct 13, 2025 10:47 am CST
YouTube warns that Australia's upcoming ban on social media for children under 16 is well-intentioned but ineffective for ensuring online safety. The video platform argues it should be exempt from the legislation, which will impose fines up to AUS$49.5 million on non-compliant companies by 2025. Industry representatives describe the rushed legislation as problematic, with experts concerned it may be merely symbolic rather than practical in implementation.
New York City Files Landmark Lawsuit Against Social Media Giants Over Youth Mental Health Crisis
Oct 09, 2025 11:38 am CST
New York City has initiated legal action against major social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, alleging these companies deliberately designed addictive products that have fueled a mental health crisis among youth. The 327-page federal complaint cites alarming screen time statistics and dangerous trends like "subway surfing" while seeking damages for the significant public health and economic impact on the city's 1.8 million residents under age 18.
Meta Launches 'Vibes': A New Platform for Creating and Sharing AI-Generated Videos
Sep 26, 2025 03:38 pm CST
Meta Platforms has introduced Vibes, a new platform for AI-generated videos that allows users to create, enhance, and share short-form content across Meta's ecosystem. Available through the Meta AI app and meta.ai website, Vibes represents Meta's strategic investment in artificial intelligence technology following the establishment of its Superintelligence Labs division.
Meta Rolls Out Enhanced 'Teen Accounts' Globally for Facebook and Messenger Users
Sep 26, 2025 02:11 am CST
Meta has expanded its protective 'Teen Accounts' feature worldwide for Facebook and Messenger users aged 13-17, implementing additional security settings, content restrictions, and parental controls that cannot be removed without parental consent for users under 16, addressing growing concerns about adolescent social media usage and online safety.