Jury selection commenced Wednesday in a federal trial in Oakland, California, where Meta Platforms faces accusations that its social media platforms have negatively impacted youth mental health and illegally tracked children. The trial is anticipated to last between six to eight weeks.
This lawsuit consolidates claims from 29 states, though the current proceedings will focus on allegations brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey. Eight other states have filed separate lawsuits in their respective state courts, including Tennessee, where a trial is already underway.
The core complaint, filed in federal court in 2023, alleges that Meta systematically gathers data on children under 13 without parental consent, a practice purportedly violating federal law. The lawsuit asserts that Meta "has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens" for profit, while allegedly misleading the public about the significant risks associated with its platforms and concealing how they exploit and manipulate younger users.
During jury selection, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers questioned potential jurors about their personal social media use, their awareness of other legal challenges against Meta, and any predispositions they might hold regarding social media companies and their role in the alleged harms.
This trial is part of a broader wave of litigation targeting Meta and other major tech companies, including Google's YouTube, TikTok, and Snap. These companies face similar allegations concerning the detrimental effects of their platforms on young people, the illegal collection of their data, and the deliberate design of features intended to foster addiction.
Recent legal actions have resulted in significant penalties for Meta. Last week, a New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $567 million in the second phase of a trial aimed at addressing harms to young people. This followed a March decision in which a jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in civil penalties, finding the company knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed information about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
In the New Mexico proceedings, prosecutors also sought fundamental changes to Meta's operations, including measures to curb addictive features, enhance age verification processes, and prevent child sexual exploitation through default privacy settings and increased oversight. The states involved are seeking substantial financial penalties and modifications to Meta's platform practices to improve child safety.
Meta has stated that it has implemented numerous features designed to enhance user safety and has expressed confidence that the evidence will demonstrate its commitment to supporting young people. The company is appealing the New Mexico decision. "We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people," a Meta spokesperson said. "We’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, and we’re always working to do better."