Landmark trial on Meta’s impact on children’s mental health begins in US
Summary
A group of 29 US states has started a trial against Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, accusing it of harming the mental health of young users through its app designs. The trial is happening in a federal court in California and Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will make the final decision.Key Facts
- The lawsuit claims Meta designed its apps to "hook" young users and keep them engaged for long periods.
- The states argue Meta collected data from children under 13, breaking federal law.
- Meta denies the claims and says it has protections for teenagers, such as Instagram Teen Accounts and parental time limits.
- The trial is before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers with an eight-person advisory jury.
- The states seek fines of around $200 billion, while Meta's market value is about $1.5 trillion.
- Meta has already paid nearly $1 billion in fines from a different lawsuit in New Mexico.
- The case builds on whistleblower claims from 2021 that Meta prioritized profits over children’s mental health.
- The states want Meta to add new age limits and change features like the infinite scroll on its platforms.
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