29 US States Seek $200 Billion From Meta, Accusing Platform Of Exploiting Children

Meta faced intense scrutiny in a federal court in Oakland on Tuesday as a coalition of 29 US states accused the social media company of deliberately designing Instagram and Facebook to keep children and teenagers engaged for prolonged periods. The states are seeking penalties that could reach $200 billion, arguing that Meta's business practices exploited young users and failed to adequately protect them from the potential harms associated with its platforms.

California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill made the allegations during opening arguments, portraying Meta's business model as one built around maximising user engagement and collecting personal data. She argued that the company understood how children's developing brains respond to social media features and used that knowledge to keep young users on its platforms. O'Neill described the alleged strategy as involving attracting users, keeping them engaged for as long as possible, collecting their data and concealing information about the risks from the public.

The case has attracted comparisons with the tobacco industry's historical efforts to retain consumers despite concerns over health risks. Experts have described the proceedings as a potential "big tobacco moment" for the social media industry, reflecting growing legal and political scrutiny of how technology companies design platforms used by children. The states' case centres on allegations that Meta's products were intentionally structured in ways that encouraged compulsive or addictive use among young people.

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Meta has denied the allegations and maintained that it has taken steps to protect children and teenagers who use its services. The company has said it has worked with parents, experts and law enforcement agencies to introduce safeguards intended to make its platforms safer for younger users. Meta's defence is expected to challenge the states' claims about the company's intentions, its product design decisions and the extent to which its platforms can be held responsible for alleged harm to children.

The trial is expected to feature testimony from some of Meta's most prominent executives. Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is among the high-profile witnesses expected to testify, while Instagram head Adam Mosseri is also expected to appear. Their testimony could provide insight into how the company approached youth safety, platform design and concerns raised internally or externally about the impact of Instagram and Facebook on younger users.

Outside the Oakland courthouse, parents and mothers whose children they say suffered severe consequences from social media use gathered to call for Meta to be held accountable. Some said their children had been driven to taking their own lives as a direct result of their experiences with social media. Their presence has added a deeply personal dimension to a case that could have wider implications for the technology industry's approach to children and online safety.

The states are seeking a financial penalty of up to $200 billion, making the proceedings potentially one of the most consequential legal challenges faced by Meta over its treatment of young users. The case could also influence future debates over how social media companies design products for children, what safeguards they are required to implement and how regulators and courts assess the responsibilities of technology platforms.

As the trial progresses, the court is expected to hear evidence from both the states and Meta regarding the company's product decisions, youth-safety measures and alleged impact on children. The outcome could have significant consequences for Meta and potentially shape how other major social media companies address allegations that their platforms encourage excessive or harmful use among younger audiences.

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