Meta faces landmark California trial: ‘Kids are the product’

Meta Platforms is on trial in a California federal court, facing accusations from 29 U.S. states that its social media platforms have contributed to a youth mental health crisis. Opening statements began Tuesday, with states seeking potentially trillions of dollars in damages and demanding changes to how Meta operates Facebook and Instagram.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, alleges that Meta knowingly designed features intended to addict children to its platforms, exploiting vulnerabilities in their developing brains. States' attorneys highlighted a Meta study titled, "The young ones are the best ones," to argue that the company viewed children as the product. They also accuse Meta of routinely collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent, violating federal law.

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You’re going to hear that Meta knew a lot about kids’ brains.

"You’re going to hear that Meta knew a lot about kids’ brains," said Megan O’Neill, a deputy attorney general for the California Department of Justice, during her opening statement. She detailed how Meta researched children's sensitivity to social feedback and their developing impulse control, then designed features to leverage these traits.

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The young ones are the best ones

Meta has strongly defended its position, asserting its commitment to protecting teens. "We are proud of our record in protecting teens on our platforms and the amount of effort that we’ve put into developing protections over the years," the company stated. Meta expressed confidence in its case and its intention to present factual evidence in court.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is presiding over the trial, which is expected to last six weeks. Testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives and former employees is anticipated. Legal experts suggest that while the states are seeking substantial penalties, any award close to the theoretical $1.4 trillion would be unlikely.

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We are proud of our record in protecting teens on our platforms and the amount of effort that we’ve put into developing protections over the years, even before these cases were ever filed, and continuing to the present day. We look forward to showing the judge and the jury those facts in court.