Internal Meta communications revealed in a legal filing show that company employees discussed efforts to discredit Jonathan Haidt, a prominent social psychologist whose research has influenced policies restricting youth access to social media. The materials, which appear in meeting notes dated 8 March 2023, indicate staff members considered ways to “get the academic community to disavow Haidt” and referenced a “below-the-line campaign” or “whisper strategy” intended to turn other scholars against him.
Haidt authored The Anxious Generation, a book examining the connection between smartphone usage and mental health crises among young people. His research and advocacy have become central to regulatory discussions worldwide, including proposals for social media bans affecting users under 16 years old. In the UK earlier this year, the then health secretary consulted with Haidt regarding potential restrictions on social media access for minors.
The meeting notes mention Meta research leadership and suggest strategies such as having academics publish critical analyses of Haidt’s work to undermine his credibility with media outlets. One reference in the documents appears to allude to Andrew Gelman, a Columbia University professor of statistics and political science. Gelman responded to the revelation by stating he had received funding from Meta on an unattached basis but was never commissioned by the company to attack Haidt or examine social media’s effects on teenage health.
The materials emerged as part of litigation brought by school districts against Meta. It remains unclear whether the company proceeded with any of the discussed tactics. When contacted for response, Haidt stated he was unsurprised by the disclosed communications, characterizing them as a typical corporate response when evidence cannot be disputed directly. Meta has not yet provided a statement regarding the matter.
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