Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing explosive allegations after unsealed court documents exposed its buried internal research—findings that could shake the confidence of millions of users worldwide.
Back in 2020, Meta launched a hush-hush study called “Project Mercury” in partnership with Nielsen, aiming to measure how quitting its flagship platforms affected mental health. The results were more disturbing than anyone inside Meta expected: participants who left Facebook and Instagram for just one week reported feeling less depressed, anxious, lonely, and caught up in toxic social comparisons.
Instead of taking action or warning users, Meta allegedly killed the project and argued the findings were simply the result of negative media buzz against the company. Yet, insiders privately admitted the research was solid, and some even compared Meta’s secrecy to the tobacco industry hiding the dangers of smoking.
This revelation didn’t come from whistleblowers alone—it’s part of a massive lawsuit filed by U.S. school districts, parents, and state attorneys general, accusing Meta and other tech giants of suppressing risks and putting children in harm’s way just for growth and engagement. Shockingly, the filings say Meta not only ignored its own alarming data but also delayed improving youth safety features that could prevent predators from contacting minors—while boosting strategies that kept children glued to their screens.
When Congress demanded answers, Meta claimed it couldn’t measure how its platforms harmed teenage girls, despite evidence in its own vaults. A spokesperson defended the firm’s record, saying the controversial study was ditched over “flawed methodology” and promising Meta has always worked to keep teens safe. Plaintiffs, however, argue that the full story is one of profits before protection.
With a pivotal hearing set for January, all eyes are on Meta and the secrets it’s kept buried. Is your favorite app safe—or is there more lurking beneath the surface than anyone realized? The headlines might draw clicks, but this time, the facts are what’s truly shocking.
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