States Launch $1.4 Trillion Case Against Meta Over Children's Social Media Harms
Apnews · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A landmark trial commenced Tuesday in Oakland, California federal court as attorneys general from 29 U.S. states launched their case against Meta Platforms, seeking damages that could theoretically reach $1.4 trillion for alleged harms to children caused by Facebook and Instagram . The four lead plaintiff states — California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey — accuse the tech giant of knowingly designing addictive features that contribute to youth mental health crises .
Key Points
- The lawsuit claims Meta violated federal law by routinely collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent .
- California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill told the jury Meta studied children's brain vulnerabilities, including their sensitivity to social feedback and underdeveloped impulse control .
- O'Neill described Meta's business model as designed to "hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public" .
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are expected to testify during the six-week trial before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers .
- Meta reported a rare profit decline, partly due to $2.4 billion in legal expenses, and has already lost two pivotal child harm cases this year .
Why It Matters
This trial represents the most significant legal challenge yet to the social media industry's practices regarding young users, potentially setting precedent for how platforms design their products and handle children's data globally . If successful, the case could force Meta to fundamentally restructure Facebook and Instagram while potentially exposing the company to bankruptcy-level financial liability .
This trial represents the most significant legal challenge yet to the social media industry's practices regarding young users, potentially setting precedent for how platforms design their products and handle children's data globally . If successful, the case could force Meta to fundamentally restructure Facebook and Instagram while potentially exposing the company to bankruptcy-level financial liability .