Meta child addiction trial gets advisory jury

Eight jurors were selected on August 12 in Meta's California federal trial over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to be addictive for children.

The jury will have an advisory role. US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will make the final decision in the case in Oakland, California.

A coalition of US states sued Meta in 2023, accusing the company of designing addictive features for children and violating state laws. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were selected to represent the states' claims.

During jury selection, Rogers and lawyers questioned prospective jurors about their views of social media and Meta, including whether they had social media accounts, whether their children used social media and whether they believed social media was linked to mental health.

The states are seeking changes to Meta's apps and financial penalties that could reach $1.4 trillion. Meta founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is among the witnesses expected to testify.

Meta denies the allegations. The company said it “strongly disagrees” with the claims and is confident the evidence will show its “longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Meta also said it is confident in its record of protecting teens online and will defend itself against claims it says misrepresent the facts.

Legal experts quoted by AFP compared the case to litigation against tobacco companies in the 1990s because it focuses on alleged addiction, business practices and what a company knew privately compared with what it disclosed publicly.

The trial comes amid wider litigation against social media companies. In May, Snap, TikTok, YouTube and Meta settled with a Kentucky school district for $27 million to avoid another trial, and a federal appeals court ruled on Monday that more than 3,000 additional lawsuits against Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok can proceed.