Meta will face trial in an Oakland federal court on Wednesday over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were designed to addict young users.
Around 30 US states brought the child safety lawsuit, seeking financial compensation that prosecutors say could reach 173 billion euros.
The trial in Oakland, California, is expected to last several weeks and will feature testimony from Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg. State attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey are leading the legal action on behalf of the coalition of states.
Meta, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, is the parent company of social media networks Facebook and Instagram as well as messaging application WhatsApp. State attorneys general serve as the chief legal officers for their respective state governments, enforcing consumer protection and privacy laws.
Allegations of child privacy and safety violations
Prosecutors intend to prove in court that Meta violated US federal laws established to safeguard the online safety and privacy of children and teenagers. The lawsuit contends that Meta was aware of the psychological risks its products posed to young users but continued to develop and maintain features that encouraged prolonged engagement.
The prosecution claims the technology firm prioritized corporate profits over youth welfare by intentionally trapping the attention of minors. Additionally, Meta is accused of collecting personal data from children under 13 years old without obtaining the required parental consent. In the United States, federal privacy regulations strictly limit how digital platforms can gather information from pre-teen users.
The regulatory scrutiny comes as Meta faces legal restrictions elsewhere, including bans on the use of Meta smart glasses inside courtrooms across England and Wales.
Defense arguments and potential financial impact
Meta rejected all accusations made in the lawsuit. A spokesperson for the company said the technology firm strongly disagreed with the allegations and expressed confidence that evidence presented in court would show its commitment to protecting young people on its platforms.
In response to growing public scrutiny over youth screen time, Meta has publicly advocated for parental supervision tools to oversee young users on social networks. However, an adverse court ruling in Oakland could legally force the company to implement major structural and operational changes to Facebook and Instagram.
The multi-billion euro claim in California follows prior legal action against the social media giant. A US court previously ordered Meta to pay a 492 million euro fine over damages caused to young people by its social media platforms.
The trial opening on Wednesday represents one of the largest legal challenges Meta has faced regarding youth safety, with proceedings in California expected to continue over the coming weeks.
