Meta Planned Covert Campaign Against Jonathan Haidt
Internal Meta documents describe a 'whisper strategy' to discredit the social psychologist behind The Anxious Generation.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Social Sciences
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Meeting minutes dated 8 March 2023, disclosed in litigation filed by school districts against Meta, reference a 'whisper strategy' and 'below-the-line campaign' targeting social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The notes say staff discussed turning other academics against him and having someone write a critical takedown of his work.
Why it matters
The documents raise questions about how a technology company may seek to shape academic and media perceptions of researchers examining social media's effects on young people. The disclosure comes as UK health officials had sought Haidt's input on potential age restrictions for social media platforms.
The evidence is internal Meta meeting minutes from 8 March 2023, disclosed through litigation brought by school districts against the company. The minutes do not confirm whether any planned tactics were implemented, and Andrew Gelman has said he was never contracted by Meta to produce negative material about Haidt.
The players
Jonathan Haidt
Social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, whose research on social media and youth well-being is central to the documents.
Meta
Technology company that operates Facebook and Instagram and is the subject of the internal documents and litigation brought by school districts.
Andrew Gelman
Academic who has received unrestricted funding from Meta and who has publicly denied being contracted to produce negative material about Haidt.
The details
The notes, contained in a document titled 'Well-being Meeting Sound-check Notes,' describe plans to pursue strategies without a direct or visible campaign. References point to discussions involving Meta's then vice-president of research about making media outlets view Haidt as not credible.
Timeline
8 March 2023: Meeting minutes referencing the whisper strategy are dated.
Earlier in 2026: UK health officials seek Haidt's input on potential age restrictions for social media platforms.
2 November 2026: Article reports on the disclosed internal documents.
Big Picture
The disclosures emerge from school district litigation against social media companies over youth mental health harms, a case type that has increasingly drawn on academic research such as Haidt's to support its claims. The internal documents suggest the research base itself has become a contested battleground.
The disclosures could affect how regulators and parents weigh research on social media's effects on children when considering age restrictions. Readers following debates over platform rules may find the documents relevant to assessing which academic findings have been independently evaluated.
The takeaway
Research on technology's social effects depends on transparent funding and independent review, and readers evaluating claims about social media harms should check who funded the studies being cited.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in our Social Sciences section for broader context on research debates like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by RocketNews.
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