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Judge won't throw out Utah's lawsuit against Facebook, Instagram

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Judge won't throw out Utah's lawsuit against Facebook, Instagram


SALT LAKE CITY — A judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed against Meta, alleging it has crafted addictive platforms that serve up targeted advertisements.

In a hearing late Tuesday, Third District Court Judge Kent Holmberg denied Meta’s motion to dismiss the Utah Division of Consumer Protection’s lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses Facebook and Instagram of crafting addictive algorithms, push notifications and platforms designed to keep people engaged and harvest data used to sell advertising targeting Utah youth. All of this, the state claims, harm the mental health of Utah’s youth. The state also alleges Meta has made misrepresentations about the safety of its platforms.

Meta lawyers made a number of arguments in court, questioning the state’s jurisdiction over them and whether Utah’s actions would impose liability on the social media sites for third-party content. Meta also argued it was protected by the First Amendment.

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But Judge Holmberg said there is enough for the case to proceed toward a trial.

The ruling is a significant victory in the state of Utah’s war on social media platforms. Governor Spencer Cox’s administration and the Utah State Legislature have pursued legislation and litigation cracking down on companies, specifically accusing them of harming the mental health of Utah youth.

Updates on this breaking news story on FOX 13 News and fox13now.com as information becomes available.





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Multiple earthquakes detected near Kanosh

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Multiple earthquakes detected near Kanosh


KANOSH, Utah — The United States Geological Survey recorded multiple earthquakes near Kanosh Sunday morning, each of them having an average magnitude of 3.0.

The first earthquake, magnitude 3.0, was detected just after 12:30 a.m., with the epicenter located half a mile south of Kanarraville.

The second quake, magnitude 3.2, was detected around 5:45 a.m., with the epicenter nearly five miles south-southwest of Kanosh. This was followed by two more quakes in the same area, a magnitude 2.5 quake coming in around 6:35 a.m., followed by a third around 7:45 a.m, which measured at magnitude 3.3.

This has since been followed by another quake, measuring at magnitude 3.7, being detected around 8:45 a.m. The geographic location in the USGS report places the epicenter approximately over two miles south of the Dry Wash Trail, about six miles south-southwest of Kanosh.

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FOX 13 News previously spoke with researchers at University of Utah, who said that earthquake swarms are relatively common. A study published in 2023 posits that swarms may be triggered by geothermal activity. The findings came after a series of seismic swarms were detected in central Utah, within the vicinity of three geothermal power plants.

The study also says that the swarms fall into a different category than aftershocks that typically follow large quakes, such as the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the Wasatch Fault back in 2020.





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Embattled Utah Rep. Trevor Lee loses county GOP convention — but wins enough support to make primary

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Embattled Utah Rep. Trevor Lee loses county GOP convention — but wins enough support to make primary


Earlier in the week, House Speaker Mike Schultz said lawmakers asked the attorney general to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery against Lee.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, running for reelection, addresses delegates during the Davis County Republican Party nominating convention at Syracuse High School on Saturday, April 18, 2026.



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A new bar brings the Himalayas to the foot of Big Cottonwood Canyon

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A new bar brings the Himalayas to the foot of Big Cottonwood Canyon


Also from Utah Eats: A Utah baker ends his run on a Food Network competition; Lucky Slice’s territory grows.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Yeti, a Himalayan-themed bar in Cottonwood Heights, is pictured on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.



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