SANTA FE, N.M. \u2013 New Mexico\u2019s second trial against social media giant Meta continued on Monday with a focus on teen mental health.<\/p>\n
Dylan Pell, a mental health epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health, testified that research from 2014 to 2016 showed concerns about how social media affects teens.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn New Mexico, suicide has, for adolescents, has either been the leading cause of death or the second leading cause of death in recent years,\u201d said Dylan Pell.<\/p>\n
Pell testified middle schoolers who used social media were more likely to get less than the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep. He said lack of sleep is linked to other issues including a higher risk of anxiety.<\/p>\n
The state is also trying to show Meta\u2019s platforms contributed to real-world harm for young users, including eating disorders.<\/p>\n
Pell testified that in 2023, one in three middle schoolers reported fasting for weight control.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe asked students if they vomited or used laxatives for weight control or to keep from gaining weight. And we have found that the risk of this eating disorder symptom has doubled from 2011 to 2023,\u201d said Pell.<\/p>\n
Meta attorney Tim Schultz challenged whether the data could directly connect social media to eating disorders, depression or other mental health conditions.<\/p>\n
The New Mexico Department of Justice is calling this trial the second phase of its legal fight against Meta.<\/p>\n