If Meta loses this trial, Instagram and Facebook could change forever
Thirty US states have sued Meta to force an overhaul of its platforms for young users.
Meta faces a potentially transformative jury trial on Tuesday, following a series of court setbacks concerning the impact of its platforms on young users. This upcoming trial, initiated by a 2023 lawsuit from 30 U.S. states, including California and New York, alleges numerous breaches of federal and state child privacy laws.
The states are not only seeking over $1 trillion from Meta but also demanding significant alterations to Instagram and Facebook, such as eliminating "like" counts and infinite scroll. A loss of this magnitude could fundamentally reshape how young people interact with social media.
Additional changes requested by the states include:
* Implementing parental verification for teenage users.
* Modifying "dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms."
* Removing many image filters that alter appearance.
* Ending autoplay for video content.
* Prohibiting the creation of multiple accounts.
* Discontinuing disappearing or "ephemeral" posts, like Instagram Stories.
These features are integral to the current user experience on Meta's platforms and, according to the states, are designed to maximize user engagement, including among teenagers and children. The states further claim that Meta intentionally makes it difficult for young people to reduce their platform usage through tactics like frequent notifications.
By allegedly targeting child users, Meta "chose to exploit" young people to expand its user base and business, a strategy that has contributed to its current stock market valuation of approximately $1.5 trillion.
Meta has consistently refuted these accusations. A company spokeswoman stated, "We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people."
The case will be heard by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, a chief federal judge in California known for her incisive and direct approach over nearly two decades on the bench. She previously presided over the high-profile Elon Musk v Sam Altman trial.
In a recent ruling against Meta, a New Mexico judge, Bryan Biedscheid, fined the company $942 million and mandated changes similar to those now being sought by the additional states. Judge Biedscheid's order included removing like counts for users under 18 on Instagram and Facebook, banning teenagers from sending or receiving nudity via the platforms, and restricting push notifications to specific hours. He also declared Meta a "public nuisance," likening it to a polluting factory causing widespread "harmful effects." Meta plans to appeal this ruling.
While Judge Biedscheid's order applies only to New Mexico, a victory for the 30 states in their separate lawsuit would almost certainly necessitate platform-wide changes across the U.S., as these states represent nearly two-thirds of the country's population. Such changes would significantly alter the platform experience.
A recent federal court ruling identified social media as a contributing factor to declining mental health among young people. "Like" counts, a feature present since Facebook's early days, are now seen as fostering negative feelings, especially among youth.
Kaley, a young woman who won her lawsuit against Meta earlier this year, testified about creating dozens of accounts on YouTube and Instagram to generate likes on her own posts, seeking validation. She was nine at the time and was diagnosed with depression at age 10.
Research indicates that engagement metrics like like counts can contribute to feelings of rejection and depression in teenagers. In the states' lawsuit, lawyers cited Meta's internal research, which showed that like counts drove "social comparison," linking it to "increased loneliness, worse body image, and negative mood or affect."
Judge Biedscheid's order, which marked the first time a social media company was deemed a "public nuisance," stated that Meta's platform operations over the past decade have contributed to a growing "youth mental health crisis" in New Mexico and beyond. Now, attorneys from 30 more states will urge Judge Gonzalez Rogers to reach a similar conclusion.