OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Opening arguments are set to begin Tuesday in a federal trial examining whether Meta Platforms contributed to harm among young users of Facebook and Instagram.
Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking financial damages and changes to how Meta operates its platforms.
The lawsuit is part of a broader case brought by 29 states in 2023. The states accuse Meta of designing features that encourage children to repeatedly use its platforms and contribute to youth mental health problems.
The lawsuit also alleges Meta collected personal information from children under 13 without parental consent, potentially violating federal law.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said the states will argue Meta knew about potential harms to young people but failed to address them.
Meta disputes the allegations and says it has invested in protections for teenagers on its platforms.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will oversee the trial in Oakland. The proceedings are expected to last six to eight weeks.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with other current and former company executives and employees, is expected to testify.
The case is part of a larger wave of lawsuits against social media companies, including YouTube, TikTok and Snap, involving allegations that their platforms can harm young people, improperly collect their data or are designed to encourage addictive use.
