Now Reading: 29 US states seek $1.4 trillion from Meta over child addiction
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29 US states seek $1.4 trillion from Meta over child addiction
A coalition of 29 US state attorneys general will take Meta Platforms to trial in a California federal court from Wednesday, alleging that Facebook and Instagram were intentionally designed to be addictive…
The Story in Brief
A coalition of 29 US state attorneys general will take Meta Platforms to trial in a California federal court from Wednesday, alleging that Facebook and Instagram were intentionally designed to be addictive for children. The plaintiffs seek damages that could reach $1.4 trillion, close to Meta's market capitalisation of $1.5 trillion, according to Times Now and NDTV Profit reports.
The seven-week trial in Oakland will examine claims that Meta violated federal law by illegally collecting and using children's data. Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to testify. The states also want a court order to force age restrictions and end infinite scroll. Meta denies the allegations.
The Indian Opinion
This case frames Meta as the sole villain in the youth mental health crisis, but it sidesteps the role of parents and schools in managing screen time. The damages figure, nearly matching Meta's entire market cap, seems designed for headlines rather than legal reality. Watch whether the company’s internal emails show deliberate design choices or merely negligence. That evidence will separate genuine accountability from grandstanding.
Sources (2): ndtvprofit.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
