Meta Platforms has begun removing advertisements from its platforms that were aimed at recruiting plaintiffs for ongoing litigation accusing social media companies of fostering addictive behaviour among young users.
The ads had been appearing on Facebook and Instagram, directing potential claimants to law firms involved in large-scale lawsuits.
The company confirmed the move on Thursday, with spokesperson Andy Stone stating that Meta is actively defending itself against the growing number of legal cases while taking steps to block such advertisements.
“We will not allow trial lawyers to profit from our platforms while simultaneously claiming they are harmful,” he said.
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The decision comes in the wake of two significant legal setbacks for the company. In late March, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Alphabet Inc. liable in a case involving a young woman who alleged that prolonged use of Instagram and YouTube contributed to her depression and suicidal thoughts.
The companies were ordered to pay a combined $6 million in damages.
In a separate case in New Mexico, jurors directed Meta to pay $375 million after concluding that the company misled users about platform safety and enabled the sexual exploitation of minors.
The broader litigation landscape remains extensive. More than 3,300 lawsuits are currently pending in California state courts against major tech companies, including Snap Inc. and ByteDance, alongside Meta and Google.
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Additionally, over 2,400 cases filed by public entities such as school districts, municipalities and state governments have been consolidated in federal court.
While individual lawsuits largely focus on personal harm linked to social media addiction, the federal cases argue that platforms have contributed to a wider youth mental health crisis, placing financial strain on public institutions.
Legal advertising has played a key role in expanding these cases. Law firms working on contingency often use television, radio and digital platforms to reach potential plaintiffs.
Firms such as Morgan & Morgan have previously run campaigns on social media, while companies like White Heart Legal have also promoted litigation-related services online.
According to advertising tracking firm X Ante, promotion of social media-related claims has surged following recent verdicts.
Television advertisements reached their highest monthly volume since mid-2024 in March, while radio campaigns saw a sharp increase.
Despite pulling such ads from its own platforms, Meta and other companies named in the lawsuits continue to deny the allegations. They maintain that significant measures are in place to protect younger users and ensure platform safety.
First Published on April 10, 2026, 15:07:31 IST