Meta is facing one of its biggest legal battles in the US over claims that Facebook and Instagram have been designed to keep children hooked. The lawsuit has been brought by 29 US states, which accuse the company of harming young users and misleading the public about the safety of its platforms. The trial began with opening arguments in a federal court in Oakland, California, on Tuesday. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are leading the case, according to Reuters. The states say Meta’s platforms have contributed to problems such as depression, anxiety and suicide among children and teenagers. Meanwhile, Meta has strongly rejected these allegations.
Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt told the eight-member jury that the company did not intentionally create products that harm children, according to the report. He accepted that some social media users face difficulties but argued that research has not shown a clear link between social media use and poor mental health among teenagers.
Schmidt also said Meta wants its services to become safer and better. “They don’t believe they’re going to do well if people don’t like their service,” he said.
California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill presented a different view of Meta’s business strategy. She accused the company of designing its services to keep people online for as long as possible and collect their personal data.
O’Neill told the jury that Meta’s strategy was to “hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public.” “It worked especially well for kids,” she added.
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The case could have a major impact on Meta’s business. If the company is held responsible, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers may order changes to Facebook and Instagram and impose civil penalties. The states want Meta to remove likes, limit infinite scrolling and introduce time limits for younger users. They also want stronger steps to stop children under 13 from using the platforms.
Meta has estimated that the possible penalties could reach $1.4 trillion. State attorneys general have put the figure closer to $200 billion, according to the report.