European Union accuses Meta of inducing addiction and countries are considering banning social networks for minors A teenager from Florida withdrew the lawsuit against Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, in which he alleged that the company's platforms contributed to his depression and anxiety. The decision was made a few days before the start of the trial in Los Angeles, according to the young man's lawyers reported this Wednesday (22). The lawsuit, filed by the 15-year-old teenager identified by the initials R.K.C., initially involved four companies: Google, responsible for YouTube; Meta, owner of Instagram; Snap, owner of Snapchat; and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. YouTube and TikTok reached agreements to end the dispute in June. Meta logo. Daniel Cole/Reuters According to Bloomberg, Snapchat also reached a preliminary agreement in the case. According to court documents, R.K.C. He started using social media when he was around 8 years old and stated that he developed dependence on the platforms, which led to loss of sleep, in addition to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Reason for Withdrawal "In light of the overall successful outcome of the litigation and his concerns about facing a grueling, multi-week trial, he decided to drop the charges against Meta," R.K.C.'s lawyers stated. in a statement. "He is ready to close this chapter, focus on his recovery and dedicate himself to therapy and the pursuit of a normal life." A Meta spokesperson stated that R.K.C. dropped the charges without receiving any payment. "The allegations were never substantiated, and this outcome makes it clear that we will not back down in defending against unfounded lawsuits," the company said. Meta could pay a fine of US$ 1.4 trillion for 'addiction' In parallel with the case of the 15-year-old, Meta is increasingly facing retaliation from users and states. Meta Platforms informed the United States Court that four North American states are asking for US$1.4 trillion (R$7.15 trillion) in fines in a process that accuses the company of having created Facebook and Instagram with resources intended to make young users dependent on the platforms and of having deceived the public about the security of the services. The value was revealed in a document presented by the company earlier this month, in response to calculations made by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. According to the states, the figure was estimated based on the number of alleged violations committed by Meta and the fines provided for in state consumer protection laws. The company classified the calculation as "absurd" and stated that the penalty has no basis in facts or legislation. Meta also denied the accusations and said that there is no evidence that it deceived users or created platforms with the aim of generating addiction. The trial is scheduled for August in California and will examine accusations that Meta violated consumer protection laws and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting data from minors without adequate parental authorization. In total, 29 states sue the company for practices related to the use of platforms by children and adolescents. Read more: Meta says US states ask for $1.4 trillion fine for 'addiction' to Facebook and Instagram