A significant trial on kids’ online safety against Meta began in a California federal court. The court is examining allegations that Meta designed its platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, to be addictive for young users. These allegations consolidate lawsuits brought by attorneys general nationwide.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accuses Meta of creating harmful features that promote excessive use among teens and children. Furthermore, it claims Meta misled the public about health risks and collected data from users under the age of 13 without parental permission.
“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage and ultimately ensnare youth and teens,” the complaint stated. “It has concealed how these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children. And it has ignored the sweeping damage these platforms have caused to the mental and physical health of our nation’s youth,” it added.
The complaint, originally filed by 29 states, now focuses on the first four states: California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey.
A Meta spokesperson told The Hill their disagreement with the allegations, stressing their commitment to supporting young people. They mentioned collaborations with parents, experts, and law enforcement to improve platform safety for youths.
An appeals court recently denied Meta’s request to dismiss the case and declined to drop thousands of other related lawsuits. This decision indicates that the trials against social media companies will proceed.