Meta goes on trial, accused of targeting children and downplaying dangers of Instagram
The company is being sued in California by 29 US states for deceiving consumers and violating federal child protection laws by exposing young users to violent or sexual content and addiction risks.
Meta is facing a lawsuit from 29 US states in California, accused of deceiving consumers and violating federal child protection laws. The states claim that Meta exposed young users to violent or sexual content and addiction risks through its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
According to the states, Meta intentionally hooked children on its platforms, with California's lawyer claiming that Meta found "millions" of 11 and 12-year-olds on Instagram and did little to keep them off. In contrast, Meta's representative stated that just over 100,000 such users were found. The states also argue that Meta knew its platforms hurt teen mental health.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, claims numerous violations of federal and state privacy laws for children. The states are seeking billions of dollars from Meta and demanding changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending "like" counts and infinite scroll.
Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, KBC — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
