Spotlight on Social Media: Meta Lawsuit & Its Impact on Young People

Grade Level: 7-12

Time: 45 Minutes

Essential Question

How does social media impact the mental health of young people and what can be done to prevent it? 

About This Lesson

In August 2026, Meta, the company that owns social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, settled a lawsuit brought by 29 U.S. states. The states accused Meta of designing their apps to be addictive to young people, knowing about the risks to them, but hiding that information from the public. Meta settled out of court, paying up to $17 billion in penalties to the states and agreeing to make changes to their social media platforms. The changes are designed to help protect teens from the mental health harms associated with social media use. In this lesson, students will learn about the Meta lawsuit, explore the connection between social media and mental health, and reflect on the new social media guidelines.