In the latest findings, a US court has alleged that Meta shut down internal research after casually discovering evidence that Facebook and Instagram were negatively impacting users’ mental health.
According to ReutersThe document claimed that a 2020 study, codenamed ‘Project Mercury’, found that users reported less depression, anxiety and loneliness after deactivating the platform’s findings. Meta chose not to publish.
“People who stopped using Facebook for a week reported lower feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness and social comparison,” the report said.
“Rather than publish these findings or pursue additional research, the filing states, Meta halted further work and stated internally that the negative research results were tainted by the existing media narrative surrounding the company,” it further added.
However, staff assured Nick Clegg, Meta’s former head of global policy, that the study’s conclusions were somehow valid.
“Nielsen’s research indeed shows a causal effect on social comparison,” a staff researcher reportedly wrote.
Another staff member was concerned about an example such as, “keeping quiet about negative findings would be similar to the tobacco industry; like doing research and knowing that cigarettes are bad and then keeping that information to oneself.”
Additionally, the claims stem from unredacted documents filed by US school districts suing Meta, Google, TikTok and Snapchat, adding that plaintiffs allege the tech giants deliberately hid internally recognized risks from users, parents and teachers.
Accusations against Meta and its rivals include tacitly encouraging children under the age of 13 to use their platforms, failing to address child sexual abuse content and trying to expand teens’ use of social media products while they are in school.
Meta denies the accusations
While Meta’s spokesperson Andy Stone denied all wrongdoing while defending the company in a statement released on Saturday, November 22, 2025, he claimed that the study was stopped because the methodology was flawed and that Meta is working hard to improve product safety.
“The full report will show that for more than a decade we have listened to parents, investigated the key issues and made real changes to protect teenagers,” said spokesman Andy Stone.
