Sources: Meta and state AGs have discussed a possible mid-trial settlement of the social media addiction lawsuit, which is currently in its second week of trial (Bloomberg)

Meta Platforms and state attorneys general have discussed a possible mid-trial settlement of a lawsuit accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to young users. The trial, currently in its second week, was brought by 29 states, including California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey.

The lawsuit claims Meta knowingly and deliberately designed features that addict children to its platforms, contributing to the youth mental health crisis. According to Investing.com, a federal appeals court declined to halt the trial just days before jury selection began on August 12.

Meta's Instagram CEO, Adam Mosseri, testified in court, defending the platform's safety record and addressing concerns about a feature designed to encourage young users to take breaks, as reported by Associated Press. Some state attorneys general have announced plans for press conferences, with Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford's office planning to announce a major consumer protection settlement involving a leading technology company.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, Investing.com, Associated Press, NPR — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.