Meta faces landmark US trial over allegations of harming young users

A landmark jury trial is set to begin over allegations that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, violated federal and state privacy laws and deliberately designed its platforms to exploit and hook young users.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by 30 US states including California and New York, seeks more than $1 trillion in damages and changes to how Meta's platforms operate for minors, says the BBC.

The states argue that Meta's features are designed to keep children and teenagers on its platforms for as long as possible by encouraging frequent engagement through notifications, likes and recommendation systems.

States seek changes to platform features

Among the changes sought by the states are an end to like counts and infinite scrolling, as well as the removal of appearance-altering image filters and autoplay for videos.

The states also want Meta to prohibit users from creating multiple accounts, end ephemeral posts such as Instagram Stories, introduce stricter parental verification for teenage users and change what they describe as "dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms".

The lawsuit cites Meta's own internal research, which the states say found that like counts can drive "social comparison", contributing to increased loneliness, negative moods and worsening body image among young users.

The case also includes testimony involving a young woman identified as Kaley, who began creating dozens of accounts at age nine in an effort to seek validation through likes and was diagnosed with depression by age 10.

Case could have nationwide implications

The trial is being overseen by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who has been described as "incisive and direct".

The case follows a ruling in New Mexico in which a judge fined Meta $942 million and described the company as a "public nuisance" over its contribution to the youth mental health crisis.

That ruling applies only in New Mexico. The current case involves states representing about two-thirds of the US population, potentially giving the outcome broader implications for how Meta's platforms operate across the country.

If the states prevail, Meta could be required to make significant changes to its platforms for young users nationwide, potentially altering the way minors interact with Facebook and Instagram.

Meta has denied the allegations and said it is committed to supporting young users. The company maintains that the evidence presented at trial will support its defence.