Meta Faces $1.4 Trillion Social Media Addiction Trial Over Alleged Harm to Young Users

Meta is facing one of its most consequential legal battles over youth safety and social media addiction as opening arguments began Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California.

The case was brought by 29 state attorneys general in 2023. The trial currently underway involves four states: California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey.

The states accuse Meta of intentionally designing its platforms to keep young people engaged and addicted, while allegedly misleading parents, lawmakers and the public about the potential risks to children and teens.

They also allege that Meta collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, potentially violating the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA.

Meta denies the allegations and says the states' claims are not supported by the evidence.

California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill argued Tuesday that Meta’s advertising-based business model depends on collecting users’ data and maximizing the amount of time people spend on its platforms.

The states say features including recommendation algorithms, endless scrolling, likes and notifications were designed to encourage prolonged use.

O’Neill also argued that Meta knew about potential risks to young users while publicly maintaining that its platforms were safe.

Meta attorney Paul Schmidt countered that the states are misrepresenting the company’s policies and selectively using internal documents and statements to build their case.

Meta has also pointed to safety features including parental controls, notification settings and protections for teen users.

The financial stakes in the case are enormous. The four states are seeking as much as $1.4 trillion in damages. They are also asking the court to require changes to the way Meta operates its platforms.

The trial is expected to last at least six weeks and could include testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Meta Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis.

The states are also expected to call former Meta employees who became whistleblowers, along with researchers who study social media and its potential effects on young people's mental health.

The case is part of a broader wave of lawsuits targeting Meta and other major social media companies over allegations that their platforms can harm young users.

Meta has already faced significant legal setbacks. A New Mexico jury found the company liable under state consumer protection laws, and Meta was ordered to pay $942 million in damages and make changes including limits on push notifications. A Los Angeles jury also ordered Meta and YouTube to pay a combined $6 million in damages in a separate case involving a young woman who alleged the platforms contributed to her addiction and mental health problems.

Meta has said it plans to appeal both decisions.

The company, along with TikTok, YouTube and Snap, has repeatedly rejected the characterization of social media use as an addiction and says it has invested heavily in tools designed to protect young users.

The Oakland trial could ultimately result in substantial financial penalties as well as changes to how Meta's platforms are designed and operated.