Meta Faces Major US Court Battle Over Harm to Young Users

Meta is facing one of its biggest legal challenges yet as a jury trial involving 30 US states begins over allegations that Facebook and Instagram have harmed children and teenagers.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by states including California and New York, accuses Meta of violating federal and state privacy laws and deliberately designing its platforms to keep young users engaged for longer periods. The states are seeking damages that could exceed $1 trillion, along with major changes to how Instagram and Facebook operate.

Among the proposed measures are parental age verification for teenage users, changes to recommendation algorithms, restrictions on appearance-altering filters, an end to autoplay videos, limits on multiple accounts and a ban on disappearing posts such as Instagram Stories. The states also want changes to features including “like” counts and infinite scrolling.

Prosecutors argue that these features are designed to encourage repeated and prolonged use, while notifications and other mechanisms make it harder for young people to step away from the platforms.

Meta has strongly rejected the allegations, saying it disagrees with the claims and is confident that evidence will demonstrate its commitment to protecting young users.

The case comes after a New Mexico court recently fined Meta $942 million and ordered several changes, including removing like counts for users under 18 and restricting certain notifications. The court also described Meta as a “public nuisance.”

If the 30 states succeed, the ruling could force Meta to introduce major changes across the United States, potentially transforming how millions of young people use Facebook and Instagram.