Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday in a California federal court for a trial involving Meta Platforms and several U.S. states. Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey are seeking financial penalties and changes to how Meta operates Facebook and Instagram, alleging the company’s features contribute to a youth mental health crisis. This trial involves four of the 29 states that filed a lawsuit against the tech giant in 2023, while the remaining 25 states are expected to go to trial at a later date.
The lawsuit originated from allegations that Meta knowingly designed addictive social media features for children and collected data on users under the age of 13 without parental consent. These actions, the states argue, violate federal law and consumer protection standards. The proceedings follow a recent federal appeals court decision that denied Meta's appeal, allowing thousands of similar lawsuits regarding social media addiction to move forward.
During the trial, which is expected to last six to eight weeks, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will hear testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, other executives, and former employees. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman stated that the prosecution intends to show that Meta concealed knowledge of product harms to maintain profitability. In response, Meta stated it is proud of its record in protecting teens and that it has developed numerous safety protections both before and since the litigation began.
On a per-person or per-household basis, the scale of this case is significant given the reach of Meta's platforms. In a similar but separate case concluded in March, a jury awarded $6 million to a lead plaintiff after finding Meta and YouTube liable for creating addictive products. For the average user, a ruling against Meta could result in new parental consent requirements for data usage or the removal of specific engagement features intended to increase time spent on the apps. These changes would likely be noticed in the user interface and privacy settings of mobile devices shortly after a final judgment or settlement.
The outcome of this case may set a precedent for how other social media companies, such as TikTok, Snap, and Google's YouTube, are regulated regarding child safety. While TikTok and Snap settled a previous addiction-related complaint before a January trial, Meta's decision to proceed to federal court will test the legal liability of tech platforms for the mental health of their users. Following the conclusion of the six-to-eight-week trial in Oakland, the court will determine the extent of any financial penalties and required operational changes. Outcomes for the other 25 states in the original suit and additional cases in state courts remain pending.