Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing a landmark federal trial where a coalition of states accuses the social media giant of knowingly designing its platforms to be addictive for children and exploiting young users.
During opening statements Tuesday, California prosecutor Megan O'Neill told the court that Meta's business model was built to "hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public." The states contend that Meta "exploited how kids' brains work" and are seeking approximately $200 billion in penalties.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser stated that the states are intervening where "Congress failed to act," drawing parallels to past legal battles against tobacco companies. He highlighted that the case involves "public health, and in some cases, marketing to kids that hurt kids."
Meta's legal team acknowledged that some users have had negative experiences on the apps but argued that the company has "tried to come up with tools to help them." Meta had previously denied the allegations, asserting its efforts to implement safeguards for children in collaboration with parents, experts, and law enforcement.
Former Meta engineering director Arturo Bejar testified that in the early years of Facebook, the company prioritized rapid user acquisition, making "safety or security an afterthought." Meta's attempt to block Bejar's testimony days before the trial was denied by the judge.
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The trial is the first federal case in what is anticipated to be a wave of lawsuits targeting social media companies like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. Families, educators, and state governments across the U.S. allege that these platforms are detrimental to the mental health of young people.
In the Oakland case, Meta is the sole defendant. The charges include allegations that Meta misled the public about the dangers of its apps for minors, intentionally designed features to foster addiction, and collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, violating federal law. The states are seeking not only financial penalties but also changes to Meta's apps to enhance child protection, such as implementing effective screen time limits.
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Four states—California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey—are representing a coalition of 29 states that initially sued Meta in 2023. Meta, which boasts over three billion users globally, faces scrutiny that some experts liken to the "big tobacco moment" for social media. Vincent Joralemon, a director at Berkeley's Life Sciences Law and Policy Center, noted the parallels between this case and the 1998 tobacco settlement, where tobacco companies paid over $176 billion in penalties and marketing changes.
The trial is expected to last approximately six weeks, with a verdict anticipated by October. Beyond financial repercussions, the case could compel Meta to implement significant changes to its popular platforms.