Meta on trial in Tennessee over teen Instagram addiction

Meta Platforms Inc. went on trial in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday, July 20, 2026, facing allegations that it deliberately designed Instagram to be addictive for teenagers, contributing to a youth mental health crisis. The lawsuit, filed by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, accuses the social media giant of violating state consumer protection laws by knowingly creating a product that drives compulsive use while misleading the public about the platform's safety.

The state's case centers on claims that Meta failed to disclose extensive internal research that suggested Instagram could negatively impact teenagers, particularly regarding body image, anxiety, and self-esteem. The lawsuit alleges that despite employees repeatedly raising concerns with senior leadership, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the company continued to offer features it knew were risky without adequate warnings to users. Tennessee is seeking financial penalties and a court order requiring Instagram to modify specific aspects of its design.

Features under scrutiny include autoplaying videos, Instagram Reels, frequent push notifications, disappearing content like Stories, and infinite scrolling. The...