Jury selection begins in Meta youth harms trial in California federal court
Eight jurors were chosen as states seek app changes and penalties of up to $1.4 trillion over claims Meta made Facebook and Instagram addictive for children.
- Jury selection began this week in California's Northern District Court for the first trial stemming from a 2023 multi-state lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to harm young users.
- Originally filed by 33 states, the litigation now involves 29 states after Michigan, Georgia, Missouri, and North Dakota withdrew in January 2025, forcing remaining plaintiffs to narrow arguments.
- Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, represents more than 1,000 people in individual suits, illustrating broader legal pressure facing Meta beyond this trial.
- Two prior lawsuits—one in federal court and one in New Mexico state court—have already found Meta liable for user harms, establishing judicial precedent for the current proceedings.
- Taske noted significant challenges in regulating platform content, arguing one cannot tell The New York Times to "please stop putting global news events on the front page" to shield minors.
47 Articles
47 Articles
The US states, which accuse Meta of having designed Facebook and Instagram to make minors dependent, are expected to claim about $200 billion from the social media giant, whose trial is due to take place next Tuesday in Oakland, near San Francisco.
Meta Platforms faces a coalition of state prosecutors-generals in a trial that began on Wednesday (12) in a California federal court. The company is accused of developing Facebook and Instagram to be child addicts, in a case that may expose it to billionaire indemnities and force it to promote comprehensive changes on its platforms. Exclusive material for subscribers. To have full access, access the link of the subject and register.
Meta Pushes Back Against State Attorney Generals over Social Media Addiction Lawsuit as Trials Begin
Get latest articles and stories on Business at LatestLY. Tech giant Meta faced renewed legal scrutiny over allegations that its social media platforms misled the public about user safety and caused harm to young users. The company pushed back against these claims in a major social media addiction trial, describing the allegations as "unsubstantiated", according to a report by ABC News. Business News | Meta Pushes Back Against State Attorney Gene…
Setbacks for Meta continue: Tech giant calls allegations of misleading users ‘unsubstantiated’ ahead of upcoming trial
Ahead of its upcoming trial where Meta faces 29 states, the company pushed back against the claims and called them ‘unsubstantiated.’ The lawsuit alleges Meta's platforms were designed to be addictive and harmed young users, while the states are seeking billions in damages and changes to its apps.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 39% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
