Meta Faces Mammoth Trial: 29 U.S. States Sue Over Addictive Design Targeting Teens
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Social media giant Meta is facing a massive legal case in the United States, according to the Guardian. More than half of all U.S. states are currently suing the company behind Instagram and Facebook. The allegation: Meta deliberately developed addictive products that harm young people.
Serious Allegations Against Meta
The trial began today at a federal court in Oakland, California. Over the next six to eight weeks, the jury will hear testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, and whistleblower Arturo Béjar. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said of the lawsuit: “Meta has created a dangerous product for young users, knew it was dangerous, and then lied to children, families, and the community about how dangerous it was.”
The 233-page complaint, first filed in October 2023, accuses Meta of routinely collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent, thereby violating federal and state laws. The attorneys general claim the company refuses to “abandon known harmful features” and acts solely out of profit motive to “maximize financial gains.”
Demands of Up to $200 Billion
Specifically, the attorneys cite psychologically manipulative features such as endless scrolling with recommendation algorithms, constant notifications, likes, and visual filters. Internal Meta research from 2019 involving 2,500 teenagers confirmed the problem. “Young people are acutely aware that Instagram can be bad for their mental health, but feel compelled to spend time on the app out of fear of missing out on cultural and social trends.”
The potential consequences are enormous. The attorneys general are seeking up to $200 billion in damages — a sum equivalent to Meta’s entire 2025 annual revenue. In addition, the company would be required to make its products safer for children, which in the long run could prove more consequential than any financial penalty. Just two weeks ago, a judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million in a similar case in New Mexico, bringing the total for that state to $942 million. A further trial is currently underway in Tennessee.
Social Media Giant Fires Back
Meta rejects all allegations and responds sharply. “Rather than sticking to the facts or the law, the states have instead chosen to pursue an absurd payout.” The company argues the claims are unfounded and the financial demands “disproportionate.” Meta insists the attorneys general provide “no evidence that anyone in their states was misled.”
The legal strategy is deliberately modeled on the approach taken against tobacco companies in the 1990s, which focused on their knowledge of addiction risks and health harms. In 1998, that led to a $200 billion settlement as well as advertising restrictions. Russell Coleman, Attorney General of Kentucky, stated: “Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause to young people.”
The current trial is part of a wave of litigation. Thousands of families, school districts, and additional attorneys general have filed proceedings against Meta and other social media platforms in recent years. In California, coordinated lawsuits are underway against Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap. In February, Meta and YouTube lost an initial case and were ordered to pay six million dollars, while TikTok and Snap settled out of court. Two further trials scheduled for this summer also ended in settlements.
