Meta trial over social media harm to children begins

Four US states are taking Meta to court, accusing the social media giant of deliberately making Facebook and Instagram addictive for children. They're seeking damages and changes to the company's apps.

A landmark trial seeking to hold Meta accountable for the alleged harm its social media platforms cause children is set to begin in California on Tuesday.

Four US states, California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, argue the company misled the public about the safety of Instagram and Facebook and deliberately made the apps addictive for minors.

Lawyers for the states also allege Meta is violating privacy laws by routinely collecting data on children under 13 without their parents' consent.

The states are seeking around $200 billion (€173 billion) in damages as well as significant changes to Meta's core platforms.

They are part of a coalition of 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023 for allegedly building addictive features into its apps.

The federal courthouse in Oakland, CaliforniaThe federal courthouse in Oakland, California

The trial is taking place at the federal courthouse in Oakland, CaliforniaImage: Manuel Orbegozo/REUTERS

What to expect during the trial

Opening statements were set to get underway in the federal court in Oakland, a short drive from San Francisco, on Tuesday.

Among the star witnesses expected to testify during the proceedings is Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

Mark ZuckerbergMark Zuckerberg

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify during the trialImage: Ryan Sun/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance

Former Meta employee and expert witness Arturo Bejar is also expected to testify, despite the company's efforts to block his appearance.

According to court documents, lawyers for the states are to question him for three hours about Meta's safety practices and whether the company publicly misrepresented what it knew.

Eight people are serving on an advisory jury, but the final decision in the case rests with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

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What have both sides said about the case?

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman described the case as "the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history."

"We'll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable," he said in a statement.

Meta, meanwhile, said it strongly disagreed with the allegations.

"We are proud of our record in protecting teens on our platforms and the amount of effort that we've put into developing protections over the years, even before these cases were ever filed," the company said.

"We look forward to showing the judge and the jury those facts in court," it added.

The trial is set to last six to eight weeks, with a verdict expected by October.

SOURCE:DW