In opening arguments, US state AGs said Meta intentionally sought to addict children to Facebook and Instagram in pursuit of profit; Meta rejected the claims (Reuters)

US state attorneys general have accused Meta of intentionally designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and teenagers, leading to harm such as anxiety, depression, and even suicide. According to Megan O’Neill, a deputy California attorney general, Meta's business model aims to "hook users, hold them for as long as they can, harvest their data, and then hide the truth from the public," with a particular impact on children.

A coalition of 29 states, led by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, are suing Meta in a California federal court. The states claim that Meta designed the platforms to be addictive, resulting in harm to young users' mental health.

Meta has rejected the claims, and the trial will determine the company's liability. If Meta is found liable, the court could impose civil penalties and order changes to Facebook and Instagram. The trial will conclude with an advisory verdict from the jury, but the final decision on liability will be made by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, Investing.com — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.