2 weeks ago
Meta’s California Child Safety Trial Puts Facebook, Instagram Under Scrutiny
Several US states are taking Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, to court.
They say Meta made its apps in ways that encouraged children to keep using them.
The states also say Meta collected information from children under 13 without permission from their parents.
They want Meta to change features such as scrolling, autoplay, recommendations and like counts.
They also want stronger ways to check users’ ages and protect young people.
Meta says the states have not proved their claims and that the requested penalties are too large.
The trial is happening in a federal court in Oakland, California.
A similar case in New Mexico already led to a large financial judgment against Meta.
The California case could affect how Facebook and Instagram are designed nationwide.
A coalition of 29 or 30 states accuses Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to encourage addictive use and harm children and teenagers.
Opening arguments are scheduled for Tuesday, 18 August, in federal court in Oakland, with California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky leading the case.
The states allege violations of privacy and consumer-protection laws, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, and say Meta collected data from children under 13 without parental consent.
Proposed remedies include age restrictions, parental verification, algorithm changes, limits on infinite scrolling and autoplay, and changes to like counts, disappearing posts and image filters.
Meta denies the allegations and says the claims lack evidence, while damages estimates range from nearly $200 billion to as much as $1.4 trillion; the case follows a major New Mexico judgment against Meta.
- Who
- Meta, challenged by a coalition of 29 or 30 state attorneys general led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, with Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky also leading the case.
- What
- A federal trial over allegations that Meta’s Facebook and Instagram products harm young users, encourage addictive use and improperly collect children’s data.
- Where
- Federal court in Oakland, California.
- When
- Opening arguments are scheduled for Tuesday, 18 August; the trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
- Why
- The states allege violations of federal and state privacy and consumer-protection laws, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, and seek financial penalties and changes to Meta’s platforms.
State Attorneys General
Meta
Platform design and youth harm
State Attorneys General
The states say Meta knowingly designed features that encouraged prolonged, repeated use and contributed to harm to children’s mental health.
Meta
Meta denies the allegations, says its features are benign, and argues the states have not shown that anyone was misled or harmed as claimed.
Privacy and age protection
State Attorneys General
The states allege Meta collected data from children under 13 without parental consent and seek stronger age restrictions, parental verification and other safeguards.
Meta
Meta says the claims are unsubstantiated and argues that age verification is an industry-wide challenge that should not make it legally responsible for the alleged harms.
Required platform changes and penalties
State Attorneys General
The states seek nationwide changes involving recommendations, infinite scrolling, autoplay, disappearing posts, like counts, image filters and multiple accounts, as well as substantial penalties.
Meta
Meta argues that the financial demands are disproportionate and rejects court intervention that would significantly alter its products and business model.
Key facts
- Defendant
- Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram
- States involved
- One article says 29 states; another says the lawsuit was filed by 30 states
- Lead states
- California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky
- Presiding judge
- US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers
- Potential damages
- The states have suggested nearly $200 billion, while Meta has estimated exposure of up to $1.4 trillion
- Evidence
- The states obtained more than 2 million documents from Meta
- Prior New Mexico judgment
- A $375 million jury award was followed by an order directing $567 million to an abatement fund
Quotes
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez
New Mexico Attorney General
“This is a state with some 2 million people,” Torrez told CNBC, arguing that the financial impact could be considerably greater in larger markets such as California, Florida, Texas or New York.”
firstpost.com
“Meta designed a dangerous product for young users, knew it to be dangerous, and then lied to children, families, and the community about how dangerous it was.”
livemint.com
Julia Powles
UCLA technology law expert
“California matters more than any other jurisdiction in the US.”
firstpost.com
Meta spokeswoman
Meta spokesperson
“We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”
livemint.com
Sources
Meta’s California legal battle begins, putting Facebook and Instagram changes at stake
Meta’s high-stakes child safety trial Is about to begin, putting Facebook and Instagram under scrutiny
Meta faces ‘astronomical’ consequences as child privacy trial in California could change Instagram, Facebook forever
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