States accuse Meta of designing addictive features on Facebook and Instagram to exploit minors, seeking penalties up to $1.4 trillion.
Meta Platforms began trial in federal court over allegations that its Facebook and Instagram platforms were deliberately engineered to addict children. The lawsuit, led by four states, claims features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and recommendation algorithms were designed to maximize youth engagement.
The case, filed by 29 states in 2023, also accuses Meta of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data on underage users without parental consent. The remaining 25 states will pursue separate proceedings. Meta denies the allegations, calling them baseless.
States are seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties, a figure disclosed in Meta’s legal filings. The trial, expected to last six weeks, could force operational changes to the platforms if the plaintiffs prevail.