Meta employees compared themselves to drug ‘pushers' as company buried mental health harms to kids: unsealed docs

Core Viewpoint - Meta's internal research indicates that Instagram is harmful to children's mental health, with employees referring to the platform as a "drug" and expressing concerns about its addictive nature [1][2][3] Group 1: Allegations and Internal Findings - A coalition of US state attorneys general, school districts, and parents are suing Meta and other social media companies for prioritizing profit over children's safety [2][16] - Internal documents reveal that Meta has a history of downplaying research showing its apps contribute to addiction, anxiety, and exposure to online predators [4][6] - Testimony from former Meta employees suggests that the company has a high threshold for suspending accounts linked to serious violations, such as sex trafficking [6][14] Group 2: Project Mercury Study - The "Project Mercury" study indicated that users who stopped using Facebook and Instagram for a week reported lower levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness [9][11] - Instead of publicizing these findings, Meta allegedly chose to suppress the study, claiming it was biased due to media narratives [10][11] - The lawsuit claims that this suppression of research is evidence that Meta executives misled Congress regarding the impact of Instagram on teenage girls [11][12] Group 3: Reactions and Statements - Meta has publicly denied the allegations, stating that the claims are based on selective quotes and misinformed opinions [4][5] - The company asserts that it has made significant changes to protect teens, including the introduction of Teen Accounts with built-in protections [5] - Critics, including the Executive Director of The Tech Oversight Project, accuse Meta's leadership of negligence regarding the safety of children on its platforms [13]