Newly unsealed court filings allege that Meta stopped an internal research project that indicated people who deactivated Facebook and Instagram experienced reduced depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social comparison.
The study, known as Project Mercury, commenced in late 2019 to assess the impact of Meta’s platforms on well-being, polarization, news consumption, and social behavior.
According to the lawsuit, early results showed that participants who stopped using Facebook for just one week reported meaningful improvements in their mental health.
The documents are part of a large multidistrict litigation effort involving school districts, parents, and state attorneys general who accuse Meta, YouTube, Snap, and TikTok of knowingly harming children and young adults.
Plaintiffs argue that these companies understood the mental health risks of their platforms but failed to take action, opting instead to minimize or obscure the impact.
The filing includes a comparison from a Meta employee who allegedly questioned whether hiding the research would make the company appear similar to tobacco firms that concealed evidence of harm.
Meta strongly denies the allegations. Spokesperson Andy Stone said the claims rely on “cherry-picked quotes” and misinterpretations of the study.
According to Stone, the pilot study failed to overcome bias and expectation effects, which is why it did not progress.
He also emphasized the company’s long-term efforts to introduce safeguards for teens, including parental controls and newly structured Teen Accounts.
Google issued a similar rejection of the lawsuit’s claims, arguing that YouTube is not a social network and has dedicated tools designed with child safety experts. Snap and TikTok did not immediately comment.
The legal brief adds fresh pressure to the ongoing debate about social platforms and their effects on young people’s mental health.
It also raises questions about transparency inside major tech companies and how internal research is interpreted, shared, or ignored.
As the litigation unfolds, developers, policymakers, and parents will be watching closely to see whether previously hidden insights are brought to light and how they may shape the future of platform safety and regulation in the United States.
Key Takeaways:
- Court filing alleges Meta stopped a study showing people felt better after leaving Facebook.
- Plaintiffs claim major social platforms knowingly ignored risks to youth mental health.
- Meta denies wrongdoing, arguing the study was flawed and incomplete.
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