Washington: Meta is set to face a major trial beginning August 18 after 29 US states accused the company of designing Facebook and Instagram in ways that allegedly make the platforms addictive and harmful to young users.
The states allege that features built into Facebook and Instagram encourage users to spend more time on the platforms, with young people particularly vulnerable to their potential negative effects.
The trial in a federal court in California is expected to continue for six to eight weeks.
The jury is expected to hear from Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram Chief Executive Adam Mosseri and former Meta employee turned whistleblower Arturo Béjar.
Attorneys general from California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky are expected to lead the legal team representing the 29 states.
The states originally filed the lawsuit in October 2023, submitting a 233 page complaint detailing their allegations against the social media company.
The lawsuit alleges that Meta collected personal data from children under the age of 13 without parental consent, which the states argue violates federal and state laws.
The states also accuse Meta of refusing to remove allegedly harmful features from its platforms while prioritising profits.
The case could have major financial consequences for the company, with the states seeking penalties of up to $200 billion, an amount described as roughly equivalent to Meta’s annual revenue in 2025.
The lawsuit also seeks changes to the design of Meta’s applications to make them safer for children and younger users.
Meta has rejected the allegations, arguing that the lawsuit is not supported by the facts or the law and has instead been brought in an attempt to extract billions of dollars from the company.
The company said in a statement that while the case may be important to the states, their allegations are unfounded and their financial demands are inappropriate.
Meta has also maintained that lawyers representing the states lack sufficient evidence to support their claims.
State attorneys, however, argue that Meta deliberately developed features intended to keep people using its applications for longer periods, with younger users particularly affected.
The trial comes after a New Mexico court recently imposed a $567 million penalty in a similar case.
A separate case involving Meta is also currently being heard in the US state of Tennessee.
