Meta, U.S. states have discussed settling teen social media harm case: Report

Meta Platforms and state attorneys general have reportedly discussed settling a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of intentionally designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to young users, according to a Bloomberg News report on Tuesday. The potential mid-trial settlement comes amid a federal court trial in California, where 29 states are challenging Meta's alleged harmful impact on young users.

The trial, which began just days before jury selection on August 12, is one of the most high-profile cases examining social media companies' alleged harm to minors. Meta and the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Following the trial, several state attorneys general have issued advisories about plans for press conferences, including Nevada's Aaron Ford, who announced a major consumer protection settlement involving a leading technology company.

The legal battle is part of a larger wave of litigation brought by various entities, alleging that Meta and other social media platforms have contributed to a nationwide youth mental health crisis. The federal trial focused on claims from attorneys general of Colorado, California, Kentucky, and New Jersey, alleging that Meta violated state consumer protection laws.

Additionally, 29 states argued that Meta violated the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting personal data from users, assuming they were minors, without parental consent, and utilizing the data to train AI models. Despite the allegations, Meta has denied the claims, stating that it has taken steps to safeguard children on its platforms and asserting that "social media addiction" is not recognized as a psychiatric condition.