Meta hooked children on Facebook and Instagram, US court hears

A US court has heard allegations that Meta intentionally lured children onto Facebook and Instagram, as the social media giant faces its most significant legal challenge yet. During a six-week trial in Oakland, California, juries will examine claims brought forth by numerous state attorneys and Meta's own legal team.

California's lawyer asserted that Meta discovered "millions" of 11 and 12-year-olds using Instagram and failed to effectively prevent them from accessing the platform. Meta's representative countered that only around 100,000 users fell within that age range and claimed that social media addiction is not a real issue. California's attorney argued that Meta was aware of the negative impact on the mental health of teens, while Meta insisted that it lacked knowledge about the extent to which social media could benefit teens.

The lawsuit, filed by 29 US states in 2023, claims that Meta violated federal and state privacy laws in relation to children. The affected states are seeking billions of dollars from Meta and are requesting changes to Instagram and Facebook, such as ending "like" counts and infinite scroll.

During their opening arguments, California's lead attorney, Megan O’Neill, heavily relied on internal research, emails, and chat logs provided by Meta, which included details about the company's observations of teen behavior. One internal research document claimed: "Teens have an addict’s narrative about use." O’Neill pointed out to the jury how Meta's practices could be summarized, emphasizing how the company aimed to "hook users, hold them for as long as possible, harvest their data, and hide the truth from the public."

In contrast, Paul Schmidt, a lead attorney for Meta, addressed the internal research findings presented by O’Neill. He pointed out that 20% of surveyed teens reported that Instagram made them feel worse, while 41% said it made them feel better, and another 41% reported no effect. Schmidt also highlighted that Meta's business model involved "hooking users, holding them for as long as they can, harvesting their data, and hiding the truth from the public."

Schmidt argued that Meta's public statements claiming to prioritize safety and well-being frequently contradicted their internal research findings. He also pointed to the challenges in verifying the age of every user on the platform, citing the privacy laws Meta was accused of violating.

Meta has previously stated that social media addiction does not exist, and that the company has developed tools to address potential issues with social media use.