Meta Platforms Inc. is set to appear in court on Tuesday in Oakland, California, to address a lawsuit filed by 29 states alleging violations of child safety and consumer protection laws. The trial will be overseen by District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. States involved in the case include California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, and it is anticipated that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri will provide testimony.
The lawsuit claims that Meta developed features designed to maximize user engagement among young users, which the plaintiffs argue has contributed to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, the states allege that Meta has violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by allowing children under 13 to use its platforms without parental consent.
Meta has denied these allegations and contends that the financial penalties being sought could reach up to $1.4 trillion, a figure it describes as disproportionate. A spokesperson for Meta stated that the claims lack substantiation and that the company has implemented strong protections for teens.
This case is part of a broader trend, with Meta and other social media companies facing numerous lawsuits in the U.S. regarding their impact on users. Recently, a New Mexico District Court ordered Meta to pay $567 million for addressing teen mental health issues in the state, alongside $375 million in civil penalties. In another case, a jury found both Meta and YouTube negligent in a lawsuit related to a woman's dependency on their platforms, resulting in a $6 million damages award. Internationally, social media companies are facing increasing scrutiny, with various countries implementing laws to restrict children's use of these platforms.