Meta Accused of Hooking Children on Facebook, Instagram in Oakland Trial
· Technology · BBC News, Al Jazeera, Indian Express
A federal jury in Oakland, California, will hear a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 29 U.S. states that allege Meta violated federal and state privacy laws by allowing millions of children to use Facebook and Instagram. State attorneys claim Meta deliberately designed the platforms to hook children, while Meta’s lawyers say only about 100,000 users under 13 were found and argue that social media addiction does not exist. The lawsuit seeks billions of dollars and demands changes such as removing like counts and ending infinite scroll. During the opening, Meta’s lead attorney Paul Schmidt used an internal report to contest the states’ data, noting that 41% of teens felt better or neutral when using Instagram. The trial will last six weeks and may result in legal and policy changes for Meta’s global services.
Why it matters
Millions of children worldwide use Meta’s platforms; a ruling could reshape how the company designs its services and enforce stricter privacy safeguards. The case could set a legal precedent that affects other tech firms handling minors’ data.
Read the original report — BBC News
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