U.S. States Sue Meta Over Child Addiction to Social Media
The company is accused of intentionally creating products that cause addiction in children. Four US states — California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey — have accused Meta of creating products that cause addiction in children and adolescents.
Consensus
- Four U.S. states—California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey—filed a lawsuit against Meta.
- The lawsuit alleges that Meta's social media platforms were designed to addict children and teenagers.
- The case is being heard in the U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of California.
- The lawsuit claims Meta violated consumer protection laws and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
- Meta is accused of using design features like infinite scroll, likes, and algorithmic feeds to increase user time on platforms for advertising revenue.
- The plaintiffs seek up to $1.4 trillion in compensation and demand changes to platform design.
- The trial is expected to last six to seven weeks.
- Meta denies the allegations and claims it prioritizes user safety.
- The court has allowed testimony from former Meta engineer Arturo Bejar, despite Meta's attempt to block him.
Points of divergence
- The lawsuit was filed by four states representing children, teenagers, and their parents. — tg_radiosvoboda
- The lawsuit is part of a series of cases against Meta and other tech companies over harm to youth. — tvrain
- A coalition of 29 states filed the lawsuit, with the initial four states joining in 2023. — tg_dwglavnoe
- The lawsuit was initially filed by four states in 2023, later joined by 25 additional states. — kommersant
- The lawsuit seeks to remove likes and infinite scroll from Facebook and Instagram. — tg_tvrain
- Activists gathered at the courthouse with a banner listing nearly 600 names of children and teens allegedly killed due to social media harm. — tvrain
- Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify before the court. — kommersant
- The plaintiffs argue Meta's business model is based on trapping users, especially young ones, to maximize long-term profit. — tg_dwglavnoe
- The estimated damages are closer to $200 billion—about three years of Meta’s post-tax profit. — tvrain
Coverage (5 sources)
- Four US States Initiated Lawsuit Against Meta Company — Радио Свобода
- In the US, a court trial against Meta has begun. The company is accused of intentionally causing addiction in children... — Дождь (Telegram)
- Meta sued in US over children's social media dependency — Дождь
- In the US, a lawsuit against Meta is underway regarding the incitement of addiction in children. The company's social networks may be forever changed — DW Главное
- In the US, a trial begins against Meta for alleged harm to teenagers — Коммерсантъ