Meta discussed 'whisper strategy' against social media critic Jonathan Haidt

Court documents from a lawsuit against Meta reveal that employees discussed a quiet campaign to damage the credibility of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, whose arguments about social media and young people have influenced calls for tighter regulation. Notes from a March 2023 meeting describe a goal of persuading academics to reject Haidt and make the media view him as untrustworthy. Staff discussed turning scholars against him, “debunking” his work, and possibly encouraging a critic to publish a takedown. The notes characterize the proposed effort as an understated, behind-the-scenes strategy rather than a public confrontation.

The discussions predated Haidt’s 2024 book, The Anxious Generation, which argues that smartphones have contributed to a youth mental-health crisis and helped strengthen support for measures such as social-media age limits and school smartphone restrictions. The meeting notes refer to responding to a newsletter essay in which Haidt reviewed research, but do not establish whether Meta carried out the ideas. A possible reference to statistician Andrew Gelman is also unresolved: Gelman, who has criticized Haidt, says he was never hired to attack him, although he previously received unrestricted funding from Meta and was not asked to study teen mental health. Haidt said the discussions did not surprise him, arguing that companies may target critics when they cannot rebut the evidence.