In this episode of the podcast “Catch Up on Kids Mental Health” Janet Morrison speaks with ZvK Partner Maanit Zemel about Meta’s $17 billion settlement with several U.S. states over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to be addictive and harmful to young people.
They explore why Meta may have chosen to settle, how lawyers have moved from challenging individual content to challenging the underlying design and algorithms of social media platforms, and what new protections for young users could emerge as a result.
The conversation also turns to Canada, including lawsuits brought by Ontario school boards, the proposed Safe Social Media Act, and why meaningful regulation will require both strong legislation and real consequences for platforms that fail to protect users.