Major Meta Trial Begins As Lawyers Clash Over Witnesses And Damages

Major Meta Trial Begins as Lawyers Clash Over Witnesses and Damages Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing a landmark trial in California over allegations that it deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive to children and teenagers and misled the public about the risks. A coalition of 29 US states filed the lawsuit in 2023, accusing Meta of violating state and federal laws by promoting features that could harm young users and by improperly collecting personal data from children under 13. Four states California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are leading the case now before the court. In the days leading up to the trial, Meta sought to prevent former employee and expert witness Arturo Béjar from testifying. Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected the request, describing it as a “Hail Mary” attempt to eliminate what she considered a strong witness for the states.

Béjar previously worked at Meta on product safety and has testified about concerns over the treatment of young users on Instagram. Prosecutors are expected to question him about Meta’s safety practices, its approach to growth and whether the company publicly misrepresented what it knew about potential harms. Meta has also asked the judge to limit the testimony of another expert, Colin Gray, whom the states intend to question about so-called “dark patterns” design features that can influence users towards choices favoured by a company. The trial could have enormous financial consequences for Meta. The company has warned that potential penalties could reach $1.4 trillion, although lawyers for the states have indicated they are seeking roughly $200 billion. Beyond financial penalties, the states are seeking major changes to Facebook and Instagram, including restrictions relating to children’s access and changes to features such as infinite scrolling. Meta strongly disputes the allegations, saying it has invested heavily in protecting teenagers and arguing that the states have not demonstrated that its products caused the harms alleged. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are among the high-profile witnesses expected to testify during the trial. An eight-member advisory jury has been selected, although Judge Rogers will ultimately make the binding decision. The proceedings are expected to last about six to eight weeks, with a decision potentially coming by early October. The case is being closely watched as part of a wider legal and political reckoning over the impact of social media on children, with Meta, TikTok, YouTube and other technology companies facing mounting scrutiny over youth safety and mental health.