Meta is pulling ads from its platforms that law firms were using to recruit plaintiffs in social media addiction lawsuits against the company.
The move follows two major court losses. A Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and Google to pay $6 million in damages after finding them liable for a young woman’s addiction-related mental health struggles. Days earlier, a New Mexico jury ordered Meta alone to pay $375 million over child safety failures on its platforms.
With over 5,700 lawsuits pending across state and federal courts, law firms had been using Facebook and Instagram to find potential plaintiffs. Meta is now shutting that down.
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Meta says it is acting under its Terms of Service, which allow it to restrict content that creates legal risks for the company. Critics argue this is a private company using platform power to limit access to justice.
Lawyers can still advertise on TV, radio, and Google. The removal may slow the flow of new plaintiffs, but the litigation itself is expected to continue.
What is not lost on observers is the irony. The same tools Meta used to engage young users are now being denied to the lawyers seeking to represent them in court.