U.S. Supreme Court Allows Vermont’s Instagram Addiction Lawsuit Against Meta to Proceed

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by Meta Platforms seeking to block a lawsuit filed by the State of Vermont, allowing the case to move forward. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark alleges that Meta designed Instagram to be addictive for young users and misled the public about the platform’s safety. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 under Vermont’s consumer protection laws, claims Instagram exploits teenagers’ neurological and psychological vulnerabilities to encourage excessive use, negatively impacting their mental health.

Meta argued that Vermont courts lacked jurisdiction because the company did not design Instagram or make the alleged misrepresentations within the state. However, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled in 2025 that Meta’s extensive business activities in Vermont, including collecting user data and generating advertising revenue, provided sufficient grounds for the state to pursue legal action. The court stated that companies that deliberately engage with a state’s market can be held accountable there for conduct related to those activities.

The case is part of a broader nationwide wave of litigation targeting social media companies over the impact of their platforms on children and teenagers. Meta has recently faced several legal setbacks, including similar lawsuits in Massachusetts and New Mexico, as well as a California jury verdict finding Meta and Google negligent for creating harmful social media environments for young users. The Supreme Court’s decision marks another significant development in the growing legal scrutiny of technology companies over youth safety and online addiction concerns.

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