Major Meta trial begins as lawyers spar over witnesses, damages

Facebook-parent company Meta is defending itself in a landmark social media trial that began Tuesday in California, where attorneys for a coalition of states are arguing the company deliberately made its platforms addictive for children.

The trial, representing four states selected from a larger coalition that sued Meta in 2023, centers on allegations that Meta violated state and federal laws by designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive. Meta, which boasts over three billion users globally, has been attempting to block testimony from key witnesses, including former employee Arturo Bejar. However, Federal Judge Yvonne Rogers dismissed Meta's request to block Bejar, calling it a "Hail Mary" effort to eliminate a strong witness for the plaintiffs.

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Federal Judge Yvonne Rogers dismissed the company’s request, handing the states an early victory. In her ruling, she described it as a “Hail Mary” effort to “eliminate a strong witness” for the plaintiffs.

Bejar has previously testified against Meta in other trials, including one in New Mexico that Meta lost. Lawyers for California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey intend to question Bejar about Meta's practices concerning user safety and platform growth, and whether the company misrepresented its knowledge of these issues. Meta also sought to restrict testimony from another expert witness, Colin Gray, who is expected to discuss "dark patterns" – manipulative design features intended to influence user behavior.

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Meta “strongly disagrees” with the allegations in the trial, a spokesperson told AFP.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's founder and chief, is expected to be among the key witnesses. Meta has stated it "strongly disagrees" with the allegations. Lawyers for the states are seeking approximately $200 billion in damages, refuting Meta's claim that penalties could exceed $1 trillion, which the states' lawyers suggested was calculated for "shock value."

In addition to financial penalties, the states are demanding changes to Meta's applications. The trial is expected to last six weeks, with a verdict anticipated by early October. This case could be one of the most consequential lawsuits holding a social media company accountable for mental health and safety issues.

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The lawyer said they believe Meta calculated that figure “for shock value.”