Meta Rejects $1.4 Trillion Addiction-Trial Claims as 29 States Press Youth Harm Case
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Aug 13
Meta Rejects $1.4 Trillion Addiction-Trial Claims as 29 States Press Youth Harm Case
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Aug 13
Summary
Meta said the states’ allegations are “unsubstantiated” and their financial demands “vastly disproportionate” as the social media addiction trial moves toward opening arguments in Oakland on Aug. 18.
29 state attorneys general allege Meta misled users about app safety, built Instagram and Facebook features such as infinite scroll and push notifications to hook teens, and unlawfully collected children’s data without parental consent.
The states want damages and app changes for users under 18, including removing infinite scrolling, autoplay and like counts; jury selection began Wednesday and the trial is expected to last seven weeks.
California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky are arguing the case, with Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri among potential witnesses.
The trial follows a New Mexico ruling last week ordering Meta to pay $567 million and a Los Angeles verdict earlier this year finding Meta and YouTube negligent over harmful app design.