States take Meta to trial in California in the biggest fight yet over social media harms to children
Summary
Four states have begun a trial against Meta in California, accusing the company of harming children by creating addictive social media features and collecting data without parental consent. The states seek large financial penalties and changes in how Meta runs Facebook and Instagram.Key Facts
- The lawsuit claims Meta knowingly designed features that make children addicted to its platforms.
- It alleges Meta collected data on children under 13 without parental permission, breaking federal law.
- The trial involves California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, with 25 other states expected to have separate trials.
- States are seeking up to $1.4 trillion in damages and operational changes to Meta’s platforms.
- Meta denies the allegations and says it works to support young people, citing expert research and law enforcement cooperation.
- Meta has already lost two similar cases this year and has spent $2.4 billion on legal costs recently.
- The proposed financial penalty is close to Meta’s total market value, which could threaten the company’s existence.
- The court will decide the size of any penalty, but experts say the full $1.4 trillion is unlikely.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
