Simon McGarr has been quoted in an Irish Times report on a potentially significant lawsuit brought by 29 US state attorneys general against Meta, which owns and operates social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads. The suit alleges that the company designed its products in ways that made them addictive to children. The case is particularly notable because it focuses on the design of the products themselves, rather than on the content published on them.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Simon McGarr said:
“It is the most significant threat to their model they have faced. It is a very unusual and very clever case. They are not talking about content at all – they are saying the product is designed in such a way as to harm the users.
It’s like the Ford Pinto car blowing up and killing its owners. They are arguing that this is a harmful product that is not in the consumer’s interest. It is the same as a car with a faulty fuel-tank.”
Simon also discussed the implications of the case for Ireland and Europe, including the possibility that it could shift the focus of legal and regulatory scrutiny towards the design choices built into social media products themselves.
McGarr Solicitors
McGarr Solicitors is an award-winning Dublin law firm providing expert legal advice and representation to individuals and businesses across Ireland. Recognised among the Irish Independent and Statista Top 75 Law Firms in Ireland in both 2022 and 2023, and named Civil Litigation Law Firm of the Year in Ireland 2025, the firm is known for combining legal excellence with a personal, client-focused approach. McGarr Solicitors has particular expertise in GDPR and data protection, medical negligence, personal injury, commercial law, corporate governance, and conveyancing, with a strong reputation for handling complex and high-profile cases while delivering practical, strategic advice tailored to each client’s needs.