Meta is once again on trial over the dangers its platforms can pose to children, arguing that it works tirelessly to keep them safe. A crucial trial for the parent company of Instagram and Facebook began Tuesday in federal court in California, with four states seeking billions of dollars in damages and fundamental changes to the operation of Meta's platforms.
Meta faces trial in the US over the dangers of social media for children and teenagers
Meta is once again on trial over the dangers its platforms can pose to children, arguing that it works tirelessly to keep them safe. A crucial trial for the parent company of Instagram and Facebook began Tuesday in federal court in...
A jury will decide whether state attorneys general proved the tech giant designed its apps to "addict users, keep them as long as possible, collect their data and hide the truth from the public." California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are among 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023 over children's safety and privacy - the other 25 will go to...
- The company also faces lawsuits in state courts, including one underway in Tennessee.
- The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing addictive features on its platforms and hiding these harms from the public.
- It also argues that Meta routinely collects data from children under 13 without parental consent, violating federal law.
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A jury will decide whether state attorneys general proved the tech giant designed its apps to "addict users, keep them as long as possible, collect their data and hide the truth from the public."
California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are among 29 states that sued the tech giant in 2023 over children's safety and privacy - the other 25 will go to trial later. The company also faces lawsuits in state courts, including one underway in Tennessee.
The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing addictive features on its platforms and hiding these harms from the public. It also argues that Meta routinely collects data from children under 13 without parental consent, violating federal law.
Meta defended its safety record and said it had a solid case.
The States argue that the Meta exploited research on child development, including such facts as children are "constantly seeking rewards" and sensitive to social feedback, while still developing their ability to control impulses like adults.
Meta attorney Paul Schmidt highlighted the company's work on security, stating that while children under 13 should not be on its apps, some lie about their ages; that some teenagers have difficulty managing their time; and that some people post "negative content" on Facebook and Instagram.
The trial, overseen by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, is expected to last six weeks, with testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives and former employees.
If Meta loses, the court will have wide discretion over the size of any financial penalty.
Meta has said that if it loses, the case could leave it liable for damages of up to $1.4 trillion, but legal experts say anything close to that would be unlikely. Source: Associated Press.
Content translated with the help of Artificial Intelligence, reviewed and edited by the Broadcast editorial team, Grupo Estado's real-time news system
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