A federal trial against Meta has begun in California, with 29 US states accusing the parent company of Facebook and Instagram of making its platforms addictive to minors and seeking nearly $200 billion in damages.
The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks and is one of the most significant legal cases Meta has faced.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by the 29 states in 2023, alleging that Meta violated laws protecting children’s privacy.
State prosecutors will seek to prove three main claims: that Meta introduced features designed to keep teenagers engaged, misled the public about the risks of its platforms, and collected data from children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal law.
Four states were selected to represent the group in court: California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. Mark Zuckerberg is also expected to testify.
The four state attorneys general are seeking around $193 billion from Meta and are calling for major changes to Facebook and Instagram to better protect minors.
“We will prove to a jury that Meta concealed its knowledge of the harm being caused to young people because it was more profitable to look the other way,” Kentucky’s attorney general said.
“We did it with the tobacco industry in the 1990s, we did it with the companies responsible for the opioid crisis, and we will do it again with Meta,” he added.
Meta denies the allegations, saying it “strongly disagrees” with the states’ claims and evidence. The company says it will present evidence at trial demonstrating what it describes as its “longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”
Source: The Guardian
