4 states face off in trial against Meta

Meta is facing a trial brought by a coalition of 29 US state attorneys general, who claim the company's social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, have harmed young people's mental health. The states accuse Meta of violating federal and state privacy laws for children.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, seeks significant damages, with penalties potentially reaching $200 billion, according to Quartz, or even upwards of $1 trillion, as reported by KahawaTungu. The states are also demanding changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending "like" counts and infinite scroll, and implementing a process of parental verification.

The trial's outcome could have broader effects, as it is one of many cases brought against Meta and other social media companies in recent years, but this one is notable for being brought by states rather than individuals, PBS NewsHour reports. The case is being presided over by Federal judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and its result may determine the future of social media in the United States, according to El Pais English.

Brief written by urgent.news from PBS NewsHour, El Pais English, Quartz, KahawaTungu — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.