Opening Statements in Meta Social Media Addiction Trial in Oakland
- On Tuesday, a coalition of 29 state attorneys general began their trial against Meta in Oakland federal court, alleging the company intentionally designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children and misled the public about platform safety.
- California Deputy Atty. Gen. 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."
- Meta lawyer Paul W. Schmidt countered in opening statements that internal reports demonstrate efforts to protect youngest users, arguing federal law prevents the company from collecting data to exclude children under 13.
- Attorneys general have yet to specify final penalties, but estimates suggest damages could reach $282 billion, while Meta has warned potential liabilities could be as high as $1.4 trillion, nearly the company's entire market value.
- The case represents a critical test of Section 230, a federal law protecting internet companies from liability, following a recent New Mexico court order requiring Meta to pay $800 million into a mental health fund.
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23 Articles
Addicting Kids For Profit: Meta Trial Begins
Meta faced a major legal challenge Tuesday as attorneys began opening statements in a federal trial accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to keep children and teens hooked, concealing known risks, and collecting data from young users without required parental consent. The case, brought by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, is being heard in U.S. District Court in Oakland before Judge Yvonne G…
Los Angeles Times
BizToc'The young ones are the best ones': Meta on trial for alleged effort to hook kids
A trial got underway Tuesday in California's multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Meta, a case that experts say could have major implications for how social media companies operate and target young users.
In the U.S., a large-scale trial against the meta-group starts, which the prosecutor's office accuses of leading young people into social media addiction. The trial could result in a gigantic fine of $200 billion and deprive the company of its business base.
Meta is accused of deliberately creating addiction behavior among children with its online platforms. The process goes back to the so-called Facebook files.
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