Meta faces landmark trial over child safety and addiction claims

Meta is defending itself in a landmark federal trial in Oakland, California, where 29 US states accuse the company of designing Instagram and Facebook to be addictive to children and of misleading the public about the risks. The trial, which began on Tuesday, is expected to last about six weeks and could result in billions of dollars in penalties and fundamental changes to the platforms Source: AP News, Al Jazeera. California's deputy attorney general, Megan O'Neill, told the jury that Meta's business model was to "hook the users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public" Source: BBC, CNA. Meta denies the allegations, with lead attorney Paul Schmidt arguing that the company has taken safety seriously and that social media addiction is not scientifically established Source: BBC, AP News.

Key testimony

• Former Meta engineering director Arturo Béjar testified that the company took a "don't ask, don't tell" approach to users under 13, and that safety was "an afterthought" Source: AP News, NPR.
• Béjar said internal studies showed that 1 in 5 teens said Instagram makes them feel worse, but Meta's attorney countered that 41% said it made them feel better Source: BBC.
• The states are seeking up to $200 billion in damages, while Meta warns of a potential $1.4 trillion exposure Source: Al Jazeera, CNBC.

Broader context

This trial is one of several legal battles Meta faces. In March, a jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million, and a judge later added $567 million Source: Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, a 15-year-old plaintiff dropped her bellwether case against Meta, Google, and Snap weeks before trial, without payment Source: The Next Web, CNA. The outcome of the Oakland trial could set a precedent for the tech industry, with analysts comparing it to the Big Tobacco lawsuits Source: CNBC.