Meta is facing a US federal trial over claims that Facebook and Instagram were intentionally built to keep children and teenagers hooked.
CALIFORNIA, United States — The parent company of Facebook and Instagram went on trial in the United States on Tuesday after four states accused it of deliberately designing its platforms to be addictive to young users.
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The proceedings opened in a federal court in California and are expected to continue for several weeks.
California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey allege that Meta developed features intended to keep children and teenagers online for excessive periods, while gathering their personal information and failing to provide adequate protections for their safety and privacy.
An eight-member jury has been chosen, although its role will be advisory. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will make the final decision in the case.
During opening arguments, Megan O’Neill, a deputy California attorney general, said Meta had intentionally engineered its products to maximise the time users spend on its services.
Meta, she argued, created platforms to “hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public”.
That approach was “especially well” suited to children, O’Neill said.
The trial forms part of a wider confrontation between US authorities and technology companies over social media’s effects on children and teenagers.
California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were among 29 states that sued Meta in 2023, alleging that the company harmed young users and did not do enough to safeguard children’s privacy and safety.
The other 25 states are expected to bring their related claims to separate trials at a later stage.
The case comes as scrutiny intensifies in the United States over how social media services are designed and what prolonged use may mean for young people.
State officials have increasingly questioned whether personalised recommendations, notifications and other engagement features are built to keep users online for as long as possible.
Meta has encountered multiple legal and regulatory challenges concerning children’s data and online safety. The company has previously said it has made substantial investments in protections for young people across its platforms.
A ruling against Meta could carry consequences beyond the company, particularly if the court concludes that engagement-focused design decisions contributed to harm among children.
The outcome could also shape how US authorities regulate social media companies and define their obligations to younger users.
Governments and lawmakers in the United States and other countries are monitoring the proceedings as they weigh stricter measures to protect children online.
The states involved in the lawsuit are seeking to hold Meta responsible for what they call deliberate design decisions that put user engagement ahead of young people’s wellbeing.
Meta’s legal arguments will be central to the question of whether the company can be held accountable for the alleged impact of its platforms on children and teenagers.
