Major Meta Trial Opens in California as States Seek Billions in Penalties

A major legal battle against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, began Tuesday in California, with lawyers for both sides arguing over witnesses, evidence and possible financial penalties.

A coalition of U.S. states filed the lawsuit against Meta in 2023, accusing the company of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children and teenagers, allegedly violating state and federal laws.

Four states—California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey—are representing the wider coalition at the trial.

Meta, which has more than three billion users worldwide, has strongly rejected the allegations.

One of the key witnesses expected to testify is Arturo Bejar, a former Meta employee and expert who has previously criticised the company’s approach to user safety. Meta recently attempted to prevent Bejar from appearing as a witness, but Federal Judge Yvonne Rogers rejected the request.

In her ruling, Rogers described Meta’s attempt as a last-minute effort to remove what she considered a strong witness for the states.

The states’ lawyers are expected to question Bejar about Meta’s safety and growth strategies and whether the company misrepresented publicly what it knew about potential risks associated with its platforms.

Meta has also asked the judge to limit the testimony of another expert, Colin Gray. The states intend to question Gray about so-called “dark patterns”—features designed to influence or manipulate users into making choices that benefit a company.

Meta founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is among the high-profile witnesses expected to appear during the proceedings.

During a hearing last week, lawyers representing the states said they are seeking approximately $200 billion in financial penalties.

This figure is significantly lower than the more than $1 trillion in potential penalties that Meta had previously cited in a court filing.

The states also want Meta to make changes to the way its applications operate.
Eight people were selected last week to serve on an advisory jury, although Judge Rogers will make the final decision in the case.

The trial is expected to continue for about six weeks, with a verdict anticipated by early October.
Wider Concerns Over Social Media.

The case is being closely watched because it could become one of the most significant legal challenges yet against a major social media company over alleged harm to children and young people’s mental health and safety.

During jury selection, Judge Rogers and lawyers from both sides questioned prospective jurors about their experiences with social media and Meta’s platforms.

They were also asked whether they or their children use social media and whether they believe social media contributes to mental health problems.

One prospective juror said social media could contribute to mental health problems and compared the temporary pleasure some people experience from prolonged scrolling with the effects associated with cocaine use.

Stanford law professor and associate dean Nora Engstrom described the case as potentially marking the beginning of a broader reckoning for Meta.

She said one of the major issues would be determining whether there was a significant difference between what Meta knew internally about potential risks and what it disclosed publicly.

Vincent Joralemon, a director at Berkeley’s Life Sciences Law and Policy Centre, said the company’s reputation and the possibility of being forced to make substantial changes could be among the most important consequences of the case.

Comparisons With Tobacco Industry
Legal experts have drawn comparisons between the Meta case and the major legal battles involving tobacco companies in the United States during the 1990s.

Joralemon said the similarities were striking, particularly because both cases involve allegations that powerful companies knew about potential harm associated with their products while defending their business practices.

In 1998, dozens of U.S. states reached a landmark settlement with major tobacco companies after accusing them of downplaying the health dangers of smoking.

The agreement included financial payments and restrictions on tobacco marketing. According to data from the National Association of Attorneys General, the companies have paid more than $176 billion under the settlement and are expected to continue making annual payments.

The Meta trial could therefore have consequences extending beyond financial penalties, particularly if the court orders significant changes to the way Facebook and Instagram are designed and operated.

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