Supreme Court Rejects Meta Bid to Block Vermont Teen Addiction Suits
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · May 26
Supreme Court Rejects Meta Bid to Block Vermont Teen Addiction Suits
15 articles · Updated · POLITICO · May 26
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear Meta’s challenge to state social-media addiction lawsuits, leaving Vermont’s case against the company on track.
Meta had asked the justices in January to rule that Vermont courts lack jurisdiction because the company has no physical presence in the state.
Vermont’s Supreme Court had found jurisdiction valid because Meta runs a nationwide social-media, data and advertising business that reaches users in the state.
State attorneys general also alleged Meta specifically studied Vermont teen Instagram users to increase engagement, underscoring the addiction claims at the center of the suits.
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Supreme Court Allows Vermont to Sue Meta: Thousands of Lawsuits Target Social Media’s Impact on Teen Mental Health
Overview
On May 26, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Meta Platforms Inc.'s appeal, allowing Vermont's lawsuit against Meta to move forward in state courts. This decision affirms that states can hold large technology companies accountable for their actions within state borders. Vermont's Attorney General filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging that Instagram was intentionally designed to exploit teenagers' neurological and psychological vulnerabilities, leading to compulsive use and harming their mental health. Meta tried to dismiss the case, but the courts found enough connection between Meta's actions and Vermont to let the lawsuit proceed.