{
  "id": 1772788,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T18:12:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "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": null,
  "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": "SCMP Tech",
        "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",
        "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."
}