First federal trial against Meta over youth social media addiction begins in Oakland

Trial begins in Oakland

Jury selection opened on Wednesday, August 12, in Oakland, California, in the first US federal court trial against Meta over allegations that Instagram and Facebook were designed to make minors dependent and psychologically ill. Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers questioned potential jurors about their views on online networks and Meta, asking whether they held accounts on online services, whether their children used such offerings, and whether they considered the services responsible for mental health problems. Some jurors said they believed online networks influenced psychological well-being. Eight jurors are to be selected, with the judge making the final decision. The jurors serve only an advisory role. The approximately six-week proceedings are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 18, with a verdict expected in early October. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to face a three-hour questioning session in late September.

States seek $1.4 trillion in penalties

Four US states, California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, are demanding sweeping restrictions on Instagram and Facebook features and penalty payments of up to $1.4 trillion (approximately 1.2 trillion euros), a sum nearly equal to Meta's market capitalization. The attorneys general estimate several thousand dollars in penalties per affected young person nationwide. The case targets design features such as infinite scrolling, frequent notifications, and like-counting mechanisms, rather than the content posted on the platforms, which enjoys broad immunity under US law. A total of 29 states have joined the lawsuit at the federal court in Oakland. The states also accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting data from minors.

Meta rejects the accusations

Meta has consistently rejected the accusations, expressing confidence that the evidence will demonstrate its longstanding commitment to supporting young people. The company stated it has listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted thorough investigations to understand key problems. Meta also contends that the allegation of misleading consumers about potential dangers is untenable because "social media addiction" is not a recognized mental illness. Stanford psychiatry professor Elias Aboujaoude, who researches the topic, acknowledged that while there is no agreed-upon diagnosis, research points to warning signs.

That can lead to unhealthy, excessive, problematic use, because it all comes down to the number of likes you get.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that Meta places profit over children's safety and violates consumer protection laws.

As our lawsuit alleges, Meta puts profit over the safety of children and violates consumer protection laws.

The companies also invoke Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields platform operators from responsibility for user-generated content.

Whistleblower origins and broader litigation wave

The trial traces back to the Facebook Files, leaked by former Facebook employee Frances Haugen in late 2021. Haugen testified before a Senate committee that the company knowingly prioritized profit over improving youth protection. Since her disclosures, public and political pressure on online platform operators has grown. In the US alone, thousands of cases are pending from states, local authorities, school districts, and individuals. Over 1,000 school districts are suing various online platforms over allegedly addiction-promoting designs, seeking financial compensation for the additional care burden for students whose mental health has been affected by social media. More than 3,300 private lawsuits have been consolidated at a California court. In New Mexico, Meta was ordered to pay nearly $1 billion in damages for posing a danger to the public, and the company has announced an appeal. The stock market reacted to the New Mexico ruling with a decline of only about half a percent. In a bellwether trial, a jury awarded millions in damages to a plaintiff who said she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube. Another bellwether case was cancelled after the plaintiff reached a settlement with TikTok, Snap, and Google. Meta settled with a school district in Kentucky in May. Three additional bellwether trials are planned to test juror reactions to the allegations.