Meta Accused of Halting Internal Research Showing Facebook, Instagram Harm Mental Health
Meta faces allegations of suppressing internal research that found Facebook and Instagram negatively impact users’ mental health, according to court filings in a US class-action lawsuit.
Key Findings from “Project Mercury”
Internal documents from Meta’s 2020 research initiative, “Project Mercury,” revealed that users who deactivated Facebook for one week reported:
- Lower feelings of depression
- Reduced anxiety symptoms
- Decreased loneliness
- Less social comparison
The research was conducted by Meta scientists in partnership with survey firm Nielsen, examining the psychological effects of temporary social media disconnection.
Allegations of Research Suppression
Court documents allege that instead of expanding the research or publishing findings, Meta terminated Project Mercury after discovering negative outcomes. The lawsuit claims the company deliberately shut down work that revealed platform harms.
Meta’s Response
Meta has denied these allegations through spokesman Andy Stone, who stated the study was discontinued due to methodological flaws. Stone emphasized that Meta works diligently to enhance product safety.
The case involves multiple US school districts suing Meta and other social media companies over mental health concerns.
