Overview
- Unsealed documents describe Project Mercury, which reportedly found that a week away from the apps reduced depression, anxiety, loneliness and social-comparison pressure.
- The records assert Meta ended the research and kept the results internal rather than publishing them.
- Meta disputes the claims, saying the study was dropped for methodological flaws and characterizing the accusations as misleading.
- Plaintiffs further allege weak youth protections, citing an account removed only after 17 confirmed grooming attempts and a remark attributed to Mark Zuckerberg that child safety was not his main concern.
- The case forms part of broader litigation that also names Google, TikTok and Snapchat, with proceedings set before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on January 26.