Meta Faces Landmark US Trial Over Alleged Harm To Children

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta is facing a major legal battle in California as a landmark trial begins over allegations that the company deliberately designed its social media platforms to keep children hooked.

The case, brought by a coalition of US states, could result in billions of dollars in penalties and force Meta to make significant changes to how its platforms operate.

States Accuse Meta Of Targeting Children

Prosecutors from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are expected to argue that Meta knowingly designed features on Facebook and Instagram that encouraged young users to spend excessive amounts of time on the platforms.

The states also accuse the company of misleading the public about what it knew concerning the potential risks its platforms posed to children.

Meta, which has more than three billion users worldwide, strongly denies the allegations.

Judge Allows Key Witness To Testify

One of the early disputes in the case centred on Arturo Bejar, a former Meta employee and expert witness who has previously testified against the company.

Meta had asked the court to prevent Bejar from taking the witness stand, but Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected the request.

The judge described Meta’s attempt as a “Hail Mary” effort to remove what she considered a strong witness for the states.

Lawyers representing the four states are expected to question Bejar about Meta’s safety practices, growth strategies and whether the company publicly misrepresented information about what it knew regarding potential harm to young users.

Meta has also asked the judge to limit the testimony of another expert, Colin Gray, who is expected to discuss so-called “dark patterns” — features designed to influence users into making choices that benefit a company.

States Seek $200 Billion

The financial stakes in the case are enormous.

Lawyers for the states said they are seeking approximately $200 billion in damages and penalties, rejecting Meta’s earlier suggestion that the states could seek more than $1 trillion.

The states are also asking the court to order changes to Meta’s platforms aimed at improving protections for young users.

Meta has rejected the allegations and is expected to strongly defend its business practices throughout the trial.

Zuckerberg Expected To Testify

Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is among the high-profile witnesses expected to appear during the proceedings.

The trial is expected to last approximately six weeks, with a verdict anticipated by early October.

The case is being closely watched because of its potential impact on Meta and the wider social media industry.

Legal experts have compared the proceedings to the legal battles faced by major tobacco companies decades ago, particularly because of allegations that the companies knew about potential harms while publicly downplaying them.

If the states succeed, the case could lead to major financial consequences for Meta as well as significant changes to the way Facebook and Instagram operate.