{
  "id": 1765638,
  "title": "Meta targeted kids to boost Instagram, Facebook use, lawyer says as landmark trial begins",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-targeted-kids-to-boost-instagram-facebook-use-lawyer-says-as",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T18:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20260819/meta-targeted-kids-to-boost-instagram-facebook-use-lawyer-says-as-landmark-trial-begins"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Oakland — Meta Platforms deliberately sought to addict children to its Facebook and Instagram platforms, claimed a lawyer for California at the beginning of a landmark trial that could alter the course of some of the most popular apps globally. A coalition of 29 U.S. states is suing Meta, seeking potentially billions of dollars in penalties and changes to the company's business practices. Four lead states - California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey - allege Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to trap young users, contributing to anxiety, depression, and even suicide, while deceiving consumers about the platforms' safety. Jurors will hear allegations from all 29 states that Meta violated federal law by improperly gathering and utilizing personal data from children while they utilized its platforms. Megan O'Neill, a deputy attorney general for California, informed the eight-person jury in Oakland, California, that Meta's business strategy was to \"hook the users, keep them for as long as possible, harvest their data, and then conceal the truth from the public.\" She continued, \"It worked especially well for kids.\"",
  "summary": "OAKLAND — Meta Platforms intentionally sought to addict children to its Facebook and Instagram platforms, a lawyer for California said on Tuesday at the start of a trial that could reshape some of the most popular apps on the planet. A bipartisan group of 29 U.S. states is suing Meta, seeking potentially tens or hundreds of billions of dollars in penalties and changes to how Meta does business.…",
  "key_points": [
    "Meta intentionally targeted children to increase Instagram and Facebook usage.",
    "29 U.S. states sue Meta for billions in penalties and changes to business practices.",
    "Lawyers claim Meta designed platforms to trap young users, causing mental health issues."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Meta targeted kids to boost Instagram, Facebook use, lawyer says as landmark trial begins",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-targeted-kids-to-boost-instagram-facebook-use-lawyer-says-as-1771536",
        "published": "2026-08-18T18:42:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}