Meta has faced multiple court losses regarding how its platforms have targeted and harmed young users, but a jury trial set to begin Tuesday may pose the greatest threat to its operations.
The trial stems from a 2023 lawsuit filed by 30 U.S. states, including California and New York, alleging numerous violations of federal and state privacy laws for children.
The states are seeking more than $1 trillion from Meta and demanding reforms such as removing public “like” counts and infinite scroll features.
A loss in this case could force fundamental changes to how young people engage with social media platforms.
One state attorney general described the lawsuit as “the largest consumer protection case in American history,” while emphasizing that Meta concealed known harms to young users for profit.
“We’ll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman.
Meta has consistently denied the claims, stating its commitment to supporting young users.
The states are putting their arguments before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, a seasoned federal judge known for her direct and incisive rulings.
The plaintiff states are requesting comprehensive changes to Instagram and Facebook’s design and functionality for users under 18, including:
- Implementing parental verification for teenage users
- Overhauling algorithmic recommendation systems
- Removing image filters that alter physical appearance
- Eliminating autoplay for video content
- Preventing creation of multiple fake accounts
- Ending ephemeral content such as Instagram Stories
These features are central to Meta’s current user experience, the states argue, and are designed to maximize engagement among young users through frequent notifications and seamless content consumption.
The plaintiffs contend that Meta’s profit-driven practices deliberately targeted minors, contributing to its $1.5 trillion market valuation while exploiting youthful users to expand its platform dominance.
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