Meta is back in the courtroom to face its biggest social media addiction trial yet

Meta's business model hinges on captivating young users, exploiting their data and attention, a lawyer for state attorneys general argued Tuesday in the opening statements of a major trial against the social media giant. This trial represents Meta's most consequential legal battle to date concerning youth safety and addiction, with potential to fundamentally alter how its platforms operate if the company loses.

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Meta’s business relies on hooking young people and exploiting their data and attention

Jurors in federal court in Oakland heard arguments from both sides, including Meta's assertion that the states' case lacks evidentiary support. The states presented their first witness, former Facebook engineering director Arturo Béjar. Béjar, who became a whistleblower, testified that Meta prioritized rapid product development over safety. He recounted personal struggles to shield his teenage daughter from inappropriate content and unwanted contact on Instagram, despite his role in platform safety.

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We talked about their motto, their culture, if you will, which was to move fast and break things.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta characterized Meta's internal culture as "move fast and break things," stating, "Unfortunately, the thing that was broken here was the mental health of kids." The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by 29 state attorneys general, alleges Meta deliberately engineered its platforms for addiction, harming children's mental well-being and violating the Children Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting data from minors. Meta has labeled the allegations "unsubstantiated" and the massive damages sought as "vastly disproportionate."

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Unfortunately, the thing that was broken here was the mental health of kids.