A landmark legal challenge against Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has gone to trial in federal court in Oakland, California. More than half of US states have joined the lawsuit, which was initially filed by 29 state attorneys general in 2023.
The lawsuit accuses Meta of deliberately designing addictive products that have harmed young people. It also alleges that Meta regularly collects data on children under 13 without parental permission, violating federal and state laws. The trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks.
California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, stated that Meta designed a dangerous product for young users, knew it was dangerous, and then misled children, families, and the community. The attorneys general claim that if Meta is found liable, damages could be as high as $200bn, an amount equivalent to the company's 2025 annual revenue. They are also seeking product design changes to enhance child safety.
Meta denies all allegations, stating that the claims are unsubstantiated and the financial demands are disproportionate. The company argues that the attorneys general offer no proof of anyone being misled and are attempting to penalise Meta for industry-wide challenges.
Internal research by Meta, including a 2019 survey of 2,500 teens, is expected to be presented. The survey results indicated that young people are aware Instagram can be detrimental to their mental health but feel compelled to use it due to fear of missing out.