A landmark California trial accuses Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram features to encourage addictive use among children and teenagers.
WEB DESK: A coalition of 29 US states has taken Meta to court, accusing the parent company of Facebook and Instagram of deliberately designing features that encourage addictive use among children and teenagers and failing to adequately protect young users.
Opening arguments in the major federal trial began Tuesday in Oakland, California. The case is being led by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, while the broader litigation involves all 29 states.
The trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks and could become one of the most significant legal challenges facing Meta over the safety and design of its social media platforms.
States accuse Meta of designing addictive features
State attorneys general allege that Meta intentionally developed features on Facebook and Instagram that encourage young users to spend excessive amounts of time on the platforms.
The allegations include claims concerning features such as algorithmic recommendations, notifications and other engagement mechanisms that prosecutors say can encourage compulsive use.
The states argue that Meta prioritized user engagement and profits despite concerns about potential risks to children and teenagers.
Child privacy allegations also at centre of case
The lawsuit also accuses Meta of violating federal child privacy protections by collecting and using personal information from children under 13 without the required parental consent.
The 2023 complaint filed by the states alleges that Meta routinely collected children’s personal information without obtaining verifiable parental consent, potentially violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The states are seeking changes to the way Meta operates its platforms, including measures aimed at making Facebook and Instagram safer for young users.
Zuckerberg and Mosseri expected to testify
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are among the high-profile company executives expected to testify during the proceedings.
Former Meta employee and whistleblower Arturo Béjar is also expected to provide evidence concerning his previous warnings about problems experienced by young users on Instagram.
The states’ original complaint cited Béjar’s concerns about the gap between Meta’s public safety claims and the experiences reported by young users.
Meta denies allegations
Meta has rejected the allegations and maintains that it has invested substantially in measures designed to protect teenagers and younger users.
The company argues that the states have not established that its platforms caused the alleged harms and disputes the legal and financial claims being made against it.
Potential financial consequences
The case could expose Meta to potentially enormous financial penalties.
Meta’s lawyers have previously estimated that damages across the consolidated state case could reach as much as $1.4 trillion, although representatives of the states have cited approximately $200 billion as a more realistic potential figure. These are estimates rather than an amount already awarded by a court.
The financial claims come alongside demands for significant changes to the design and operation of Meta’s platforms.
Trial follows major New Mexico ruling
The California trial comes shortly after a separate case in New Mexico in which a court ordered Meta to pay $567 million and implement safety-related changes following allegations concerning harms to young users.
A separate case is also being pursued in Tennessee, while Meta and other major social media companies face a growing number of lawsuits across the United States over alleged effects on children’s mental health and online safety.
The outcome of the California proceedings could have implications well beyond Meta, potentially influencing how major social media platforms design products and protect children and teenagers online.
