In brief
The Oakland trial sees state attorneys argue that Meta’s Facebook and Instagram were designed to hook children, citing internal research and millions of under‑a‑cable users. Meta counters that it never intended to be addictive and points to data showing a minority of teens feel worse. The case could force drastic changes such as ending likes and infinite scroll, and may lead to billions in damages. Both sides present contrasting views on the platform’s impact on youth well‑being.
Court hearing begins for Meta’s alleged child hooking
A jury in Oakland is set to weigh claims that Meta deliberately hooked millions of children on its flagship platforms, Facebook and Instagram.
State attorneys, led by California’s chief attorney Megan O’Neill, presented internal documents showing that approximately 11‑ and 12‑year‑olds were active on Instagram and that the company publicly assured the public of safety while internally noting that users could become addicted. Meta’s own representative, Paul Schmidt, argued that the company never aimed to create addictive features and highlighted that 41% of teens reported the platforms had no negative effect.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, claims the social‑media giant violated federal and state privacy laws by failing to prevent users under 13 from accessing its services and by actively seeking to engage younger users for profit. The states are requesting billions in damages and demand changes such as eliminating likes, infinite scroll, and other engagement‑boosting features.
The trial, which will run for six weeks, could set a significant precedent for how tech firms handle youth audiences and could reshape the user experience on two of the world’s most popular social platforms.
