A jury trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday for Meta, following a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 30 US states. The states allege numerous violations of federal and state privacy laws concerning children and are seeking over $1 trillion in damages.
The lawsuit also demands fundamental changes to Instagram and Facebook, including the removal of "like" counts and infinite scroll features. Other requested changes include parental verification for teenage users, alterations to recommendation algorithms, and the end of disappearing posts.
Meta has denied these claims, with a company spokeswoman stating, "We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people."
This trial follows a recent ruling in New Mexico where a judge fined Meta $942 million and ordered similar changes, such as eliminating like counts for users under 18 and limiting push notifications. While Meta plans to appeal that ruling, a loss in the 30-state lawsuit could force platform changes across the US.