Meta will soon face another high-stakes trial in US

Meta, the parent company of popular social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, is set to enter a new trial beginning this week in the United States. The federal trial comes just months after a series of convictions for similar alleged harms to children, and will see the company face up to $1.4 trillion in penalties, nearly double its current market capitalization.

Four US states - California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey - are bringing the lawsuit, alleging that Meta deliberately designed Instagram and Facebook to be addictive for children. The states are demanding a list of restrictions on the platforms' use by minors, alongside the hefty financial penalties.

The trial will commence on Wednesday with jury selection in Oakland, near San Francisco. Opening statements are expected to begin on August 18, with the six-week trial concluding and a verdict likely in early October. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO and founder, is expected to be called as a key witness by the prosecution.

The case is rooted in internal research leaked by a former employee, Frances Haugen, which revealed Meta's awareness of the potential harm its platforms were causing teenage girls. This led to a joint investigation by dozens of states, culminating in a complaint filed by around 30 state attorneys general. The trial is the culmination of a long-standing standoff with Meta, with the states seeking to prove their case in Oakland.

In a landmark trial, Meta and YouTube were previously convicted by a Los Angeles jury for enabling a teenager's social media addiction. In a separate case, Meta was ordered to pay $375 million to the state of New Mexico after being found liable for endangering children on its platforms. Meta has vowed to defend itself against these claims, arguing that mental health is a broader issue and that some state claims are protected by free speech laws.