June 30 (Reuters) - A federal judge rejected Meta Platforms' (META.O), opens new tab bid to dismiss a lawsuit by 29 U.S. state attorneys general accusing it of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and knowingly concealing the harm from the public.
In a decision late Monday, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, denied Meta's motion to dismiss claims based on deception, unfair practices and violations of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
The judge also said Meta did not comply with that law's notice and parental consent requirements, and granted summary judgment to the states on that issue.
Meta said in a statement: “We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.
In a separate statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the decision a "critical win" in holding Meta accountable for fueling a mental health crisis among American children.
Meta also said it didn't violate the children's online privacy law because it directed Facebook and Instagram to a general audience, not just children under age 13.
In a 38-page decision, Gonzalez Rogers found material factual disputes over whether Meta's social media platforms are addictive, whether Meta falsely denied it designed them that way, and whether it "partially" directed the platforms at children.
The AGs present a reasonable interpretation of [Meta's] statements that Facebook and Instagram are not designed in ways that cause teens to compulsively use the platforms to their detriment," the judge wrote.
To the extent plaintiffs’ evidence shows that the platforms are in fact designed to do just that, a jury could reasonably find the statements were untrue to a reasonable person," she added.
A trial over California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey's claims against Meta is scheduled for August 18, court records show.