"The brief, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California but is not yet public, reportedly claims the study, called Project Mercury, was initiated in 2019 and was meant to explore the impact of apps on polarization, news-consumption habits, "well-being, and daily social interactions." Plaintiffs in the suit say social media companies were aware that these platforms had a negative impact on the mental health of children and young adults but did not act to prevent it."
""We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions in an attempt to present a deliberately misleading picture," Meta tells Fast Company in a statement. "The full record will show that for over a decade, we have listened to parents, researched issues that matter most, and made real changes to protect teens-like introducing Teen Accounts with built-in protections and providing parents with controls to manage their teens' experiences.""
A legal filing alleges Meta shut down internal research showing people who stopped using Facebook experienced less depression, anxiety, and loneliness. The filing is part of a lawsuit brought by several U.S. school districts against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and other social media companies. The brief reportedly says Project Mercury began in 2019 to study apps' effects on polarization, news-consumption habits, well-being, and daily social interactions. Plaintiffs allege social media companies knew these platforms harmed mental health of children and young adults and did not prevent or disclose that harm. Meta disputes the allegations and cites product protections and parental controls. Meta's communications director described the study as aligning with deactivation research showing users who stop using Facebook may feel better.
Read at Fast Company
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