US states call for big changes to Instagram and Facebook as Meta child privacy trial begins
Meta has been hit with successive losses in court over how its platforms have targeted and harmed young users, but a jury trial set to begin on Tuesday may pose the biggest threat yet to its operations. The trial stems from a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 30 US states, including California and New York, in which […]
A lawsuit filed by 30 US states, including California and New York, seeks substantial changes from Meta regarding Instagram and Facebook's impact on young users. The states claim Meta violated federal and state privacy laws, demanding the social media giant pay upwards of $1 trillion and make significant alterations to its platforms. Should Meta lose the trial, it could force major changes to the way young people use social media.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman described the case as "the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history" and emphasized that Meta concealed knowledge of the harm caused by its products. The lawsuit demands a verification process for teenage users, a change to recommendation algorithms, removal of image filters that alter appearance, prohibition of autoplay of video content, and elimination of disappearing posts like Instagram Stories.
Meta has denied the allegations, stating that it is committed to supporting young people. The trial will begin on Tuesday, with a federal judge in California presiding over the case. The states are asking Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to declare Meta a "public nuisance," similar to a factory polluting the air, causing harmful effects on an entire population. If the lawsuit succeeds, Meta would need to implement platform changes across the US, impacting nearly two-thirds of the country's population.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
