{
  "id": 1770312,
  "title": "Meta accused of targeting children to boost Facebook and Instagram use, as US trial begins",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-accused-of-targeting-children-to-boost-facebook-and-instagram",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T18:12:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SCMP Tech",
    "slug": "scmp-tech",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3364482/meta-accused-targeting-children-boost-facebook-and-instagram-use-us-trial-begins"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Meta is on trial for allegedly targeting children to boost usage of its Facebook and Instagram platforms, potentially leading to billions in penalties. A bipartisan group of 29 US states are suing Meta, accusing the company of designing its platforms to addict young users, causing anxiety, depression, and even suicide. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey claim Meta misled consumers about the safety of its apps and improperly collected and used personal data of children. The trial, which could set a precedent for social media's impact on young users, is expected to last six weeks and feature testimony from Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. The states are seeking changes to Facebook and Instagram, age restrictions, and an end to the \"infinite scroll\" feature.",
  "summary": "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 US states is suing Meta, seeking potentially tens or hundreds of billions of dollars in penalties and changes to how Meta does business. Four lead…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "States take Meta to trial in California in the biggest fight yet over social media harms to children",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/states-take-meta-to-trial-in-california-in-the-biggest-fight-yet-over-1416687",
        "published": "2026-08-17T04:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC Technology",
        "title": "Meta faces ‘astronomical’ consequences as legal fight reaches critical moment in California",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/meta-faces-astronomical-consequences-as-legal-fight-reaches-critical",
        "published": "2026-08-17T12:00:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Slashdot",
        "title": "Meta Faces $1.4 Trillion Reckoning In Latest Trial Over Social Media Addiction",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/meta-faces-1-4-trillion-reckoning-in-latest-trial-over-social-media",
        "published": "2026-08-17T20:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SiliconANGLE",
        "title": "Meta faces mammoth fine in landmark social media trial",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-faces-mammoth-fine-in-landmark-social-media-trial",
        "published": "2026-08-18T01:15:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "Meta faces trial over teen addiction, child data claims",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-faces-trial-over-teen-addiction-child-data-claims",
        "published": "2026-08-18T03:56:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Technology",
        "title": "US states take on Meta in pivotal trial over child social media addiction claims",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-states-take-on-meta-in-pivotal-trial-over-child-social-media",
        "published": "2026-08-18T07:00:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Techmeme",
        "title": "How a bipartisan coalition of US states fought to present a united case against Meta; Judge Rogers established a hybrid structure for the multi-week trial (Diana Novak Jones/Reuters)",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/how-a-bipartisan-coalition-of-us-states-fought-to-present-a-united",
        "published": "2026-08-18T11:56:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TechSpot",
        "title": "Meta goes to trial over Facebook and Instagram's impact on young users",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-goes-to-trial-over-facebook-and-instagrams-impact-on-young-users",
        "published": "2026-08-18T15:33:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Meta accused of targeting children to boost Facebook and Instagram use, as US trial begins",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/meta-accused-of-targeting-children-to-boost-facebook-and-instagram-1772788",
        "published": "2026-08-18T18:12:21.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}