Landmark US Trial Begins Over Meta's Impact on Children's Mental Health
Al Jazeera Staff
A historic US trial began on Tuesday, with 29 states accusing Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to harm children’s mental health. The company denies the claims, citing protective features, while the case could lead to billions in fines.
The landmark US trial brought by a bipartisan coalition of 29 states against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, officially opened with opening statements on Tuesday. Representatives from Colorado, California, New Jersey, and Kentucky argued that the company's popular social media apps are designed in ways that harm the mental health of young users.
The trial, expected to last several weeks, is being held in federal court in California under Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Although there is an 8-member jury, it will serve only in an advisory capacity, with Judge Rogers delivering the final verdict.
During opening statements, California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill accused the company of designing its products to “addict users, keep them for as long as possible, collect their data, then hide the truth from the public.” She argued that this approach has been “particularly effective with children.”
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2023, alleges that Meta made design decisions intended to foster addiction and promote overuse among its youngest users. The coalition also accuses the company of collecting data from children under 13, in violation of federal law.
“Meta needs children, and the company needs to reassure those who care about children that they are safe,” O'Neill emphasized.
Meta has repeatedly denied the allegations. In a statement before the trial, a Meta spokesperson said the states' claims are baseless. The company asserts it has implemented strong safeguards for teens, including the 2024 launch of Instagram Teen Accounts, restrictions on who can contact minors, and features allowing parents to set time limits.
“State attorneys general may call this a historic case, but their narrow allegations are baseless and their financial demands are excessive,” said Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway. “The attorneys general present no evidence that anyone in their state was deceived, call harmless features like having more than one Instagram account harmful, and try to fault Meta for industry-wide challenges like age verification.”
The potential financial impact on Meta is considered serious. The company could face fines of up to $1.4 trillion, just shy of its $1.5 trillion market capitalization. However, the state coalition is seeking around $200 billion in penalties.
Meta has already been ordered to pay $942 million in a separate case in New Mexico, comprising $375 million in civil penalties under a jury verdict in March and $567 million ordered by a judge earlier this month. In a January filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Meta acknowledged that the lawsuits could result in “significant damages or penalties.”
The origins of the case trace back to a 2021 US Senate hearing, where whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook data scientist, accused the company of deliberately promoting products that could harm young users' well-being in pursuit of higher profits.
Meta has made repeated attempts to dismiss the lawsuit, including in 2024 and most recently in June, when it sought a summary judgment to end the case without a trial. The litigation is already affecting the company's stock, which fell more than 3% in midday trading on Wall Street.
