Meta Faces Trial Over Alleged Harm to Young Users

## Meta's Platforms Under Scrutiny A high-stakes trial is set to begin in the US, with 30 states suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over allegations that its platforms have targeted and harmed young users. The lawsuit claims that Meta has violated federal and state privacy laws for children, and the states are seeking significant changes to the way the platforms operate. The trial stems from a lawsuit filed in 2023 by the 30 US states, including California and New York. The states are seeking upwards of $1 trillion in damages, as well as changes to Instagram and Facebook. They are demanding that Meta implement a process of parental verification for teenage users, change its "dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms," and remove many image filters that change one's appearance in photos. The states are also asking Meta to end autoplay of video content, prohibit the creation of multiple accounts, and end disappearing or "ephemeral" posts, such as Instagram Stories. These features are central to the current user experience on Meta's platforms and are designed to keep users, including teenagers and children, on the platforms as often and for as long as possible. ## Social Media and Mental Health The lawsuit claims that Meta has targeted child users in order to hook them on its platforms, and that the company has made it difficult for young people to use the platform less. The states contend that Meta's platforms have contributed to a growing "youth mental health crisis" in the US. Research has shown that engagement metrics such as like counts can drive feelings of rejection and depression in teenagers. Meta's own research has also shown that like counts drive "social comparison," or the mental act of marking one's self worth against images of someone else. This social comparison has been linked to "increased loneliness, worse body image, and negative mood or affect." ## A Potential Turning Point for Social Media If Meta loses the trial, it could be forced to make significant changes to its platforms. The states involved in the lawsuit represent nearly two-thirds of the country's population, and a win for the states would likely require Meta to enact platform changes across the US. The trial is being heard by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, a chief federal judge in California who has built a reputation for being incisive and direct. The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for the way social media companies operate and for the mental health of young users. In a recent ruling against Meta, a judge in New Mexico fined the company a collective $942m and ordered it to make changes similar to those that the additional states are now demanding. The judge declared Meta a "public nuisance" akin to a factory that was polluting the air people breathe, causing "harmful effects" that impacted an entire population. Meta has said it will appeal against the ruling. The trial is set to begin on Tuesday, and the outcome is likely to have significant implications for the social media industry and for the mental health of young users.