A secret Meta study on teen addiction resurfaces

While major platforms are making numerous announcements to regulate minors' use, starting with Meta, a legal case in the United States is challenging the official narrative.

According to information from TechCrunch, in the midst of proceedings before a Los Angeles court, internal Meta documents have been submitted as evidence, revealing the existence of a previously unpublished study on teenagers' social media use.

The context is sensitive, as the parent company of Facebook and Instagram are being sued by a young American woman who accuses the platforms of having fostered and maintained her addiction. During his testimony, Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, referred to "problematic use" rather than addiction. This distinction takes on a new dimension in light of the information revealed… "Project MYST": What Meta Knew The study in question, called "Project MYST" (Meta and Youth Social Emotional Trends), was conducted in partnership with the University of Chicago. It is based on a survey of 1,000 teenagers and their parents regarding their digital habits. According to excerpts cited in court, the findings mention family rules, parental supervision, and built-in tools such as time limits, but with too little impact on the compulsive nature of platform use. Thus, the parents and teenagers interviewed agree on this point, showing that the level of supervision does not appear to be correlated with control over consumption. The study also highlights a vulnerability factor, particularly among young people who have experienced hardship such as bullying, an unstable family environment, or exposure to alcoholism, who report more unrestrained use. During the hearing, Adam Mosseri acknowledged that some teenagers use Instagram to "escape a harsher reality." “Difficult,” a statement that raises questions about the role of recommendation and reward mechanisms integrated into social networks… Protective tools called into question. These revelations create tension with the systems deployed in recent years, particularly on Instagram with its “Teen Accounts.” However, while Meta had internal data suggesting that these mechanisms have little influence on compulsive use, their actual effectiveness remains a question. The plaintiff's lawyers believe that the responsibility lies primarily with the very design of the platforms, based on continuous scrolling, frequent notifications, and intermittent reward mechanisms that act on dopamine. For its part, Meta maintains that the study focused on the adolescents' feelings, not on a proven clinical addiction. Beyond this trial, other similar proceedings are expected in the United States, and in France, the ban on social media for those under 15, passed by the National Assembly and scheduled for the start of the 2026 school year, takes on a particular resonance in light of these internal documents…