Tennessee's lawsuit against Meta Platforms opened with the state alleging that the company disregarded its own internal research about Instagram's impact on teenagers in a bid to maximize profit from young users. The trial, expected to last seven weeks, is the second state case against Meta over youth mental health to reach a jury.

State attorneys presented evidence that Meta researchers repeatedly flagged concerns that some teenagers were compulsively using Instagram, leading to eating disorders, depression and self-harm. Despite these warnings, the company did not disable features such as autoplay, notifications and infinite scroll, which were designed to keep teens on the platform and increase ad views.

An internal 2017 Meta document stated that features like notifications and infinite scroll 'are inherently at odds with well-being' and that the company needed to warn the public. Tom Cartmell, a lawyer for the state, played the sound of a notification and argued that unpredictable rewards like notifications trigger dopamine hits that promote addiction, with a strong impact on kids' brains.

Meta attorney Kevin Huff said the company has been transparent about the risks teens face and works to find and fix problems. He noted that Meta has developed tools to limit problematic use and empowers teachers and parents. Huff argued that the documents show Meta is actively searching for problems to improve its platforms.

The lawsuit was filed by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office. If the jury finds Meta liable, the trial will enter a second phase before Chancellor Russell Perkins to decide financial penalties and changes to Instagram. Nearly every US state has filed claims against Meta over its platforms' alleged impact on children, with more than two dozen lawsuits consolidated in multidistrict litigation in San Francisco.

Tennessee's case follows a New Mexico jury verdict earlier in 2025 that found Meta liable and ordered it to pay $375 million. In New Mexico, a judge is weighing additional financial penalties and an order directing Meta to change Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp in the state. The next trial over social media addiction is scheduled for next month in Oakland, California; it will be the first federal trial against Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap, brought by attorneys general from 29 states.

Meta owns Instagram and Facebook.