Meta faces 29-state trial over claims it addicted children
What's at stake: A judge could force changes to Instagram and Facebook, including limits on likes, infinite scroll and under-13 access.
A closely watched trial opened in federal court in Oakland, California, where 29 states accuse Meta Platforms of designing Facebook and Instagram to keep children using the apps and improperly collecting their data. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are leading the case, which seeks billions of dollars in penalties and broad changes to Meta’s products. State lawyers argued Meta pursued young users despite evidence of harm to teen well-being. Meta countered that research does not show a clear causal link between social media use and poor adolescent well-being and disputed the scale of underage use. An advisory jury will hear the case, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide liability and any penalties.