Meta faces $1.4tn lawsuit over alleged child‑addiction features

Meta is on trial in the United States this week after a group of states sued the company in 2023, alleging that it deliberately built addictive features for children into its apps. The case, filed by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, could result in financial penalties as high as $1.4 trillion, roughly the company’s market value, and a court‑ordered overhaul of Facebook and Instagram.

The outcome matters far beyond the balance sheet. If the jury finds that the platforms were engineered to hook young users, regulators may demand sweeping design changes, and the reputational damage could reshape how tech firms approach product safety. Critics have already likened the lawsuit to the 1990s tobacco battles, suggesting a new era of accountability for digital giants.

Prosecutors argue that features such as infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds are intentionally designed to keep children scrolling for hours. A spokesperson for the European Union said Meta "strongly disagrees" with the allegations and is "confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people".

"It really feels like tobacco in the 1990s," said Vincent Joralemon, director at Berkeley's Life Sciences Law and Policy Center.

Meta has faced similar judgments in Los Angeles and New Mexico, where combined damages approached $1 billion. The company also settled a separate case with a Kentucky school district for $27 million, joining Snap, TikTok and YouTube in a wave of settlements aimed at avoiding larger trials.

The case against Meta

Lawyers for the four states are seeking an injunction that would ban the so‑called "addictive" features on Facebook and Instagram, as well as a financial award that could dwarf the company’s annual revenue. Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify, a move that could expose internal documents about product design decisions.

Potential fallout

Legal experts say the trial could be the opening act of a broader reckoning for the tech sector. Nora Freeman Engstrom of Stanford Law School noted that the gap between what Meta knew privately and what it disclosed publicly will be a key focus. Even if the court caps damages below the headline figure, the requirement to redesign core user‑experience elements could set a new industry standard.

The case is scheduled to run through August, with opening statements set for Oakland on 18 August. A federal appeals court recently allowed more than 3,000 related lawsuits against Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok to proceed, signalling that litigation on this issue is likely to continue for years.