How a bipartisan coalition of US states fought to present a united case against Meta; Judge Rogers established a hybrid structure for the multi-week trial (Diana Novak Jones/Reuters)

A landmark trial against Meta Platforms began with opening statements, as a bipartisan coalition of 30 US states, including California and New York, claim the company misled the public about the safety of its platforms. The states allege that Meta designed addictive products that harmed young people, violating federal and state privacy laws for children. They are seeking upwards of $1 trillion in damages and changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending “like” counts and infinite scroll.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, claims Meta intentionally designed features that get children addicted to its platforms, contributing to the youth mental health crisis. The states also accuse Meta of collecting data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. According to Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, “We’ll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable.”

The trial, taking place in federal court in Oakland, California, is expected to last between six and eight weeks and will feature testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, and employee turned whistleblower Arturo Béjar. Meta disputes the allegations, stating it will show its commitment to supporting young people through the trial evidence.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, GBC Ghana, Guardian Technology, Associated Press — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.