2026-08-19 11:02:09

Meta allegedly “hooked” a generation of children on Facebook and Instagram despite knowing the platforms could harm their mental health, a US court has heard.

The claims were made as a six-week jury trial began in Oakland, California, on Tuesday (18.08.26) over a lawsuit brought by 29 US states, including California and New York.

The states accuse Meta of violating federal and state laws protecting children and are seeking billions of dollars in damages.

They also want the company to make sweeping changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending infinite scrolling and removing like counts for young users.

Megan O’Neill, a lead attorney for California, told jurors that Meta’s own internal documents showed it understood the risks associated with its platforms.

One internal report said: “Teens have an addict’s narrative about use.”

Another warned that features designed to increase time spent on the platforms were “inherently at odds with well-being”.

O’Neill said Meta’s approach could be summed up as: “Hook the users; hold them for as long as they can; harvest their data; hide the truth from the public when making public statements.”

She also claimed Meta knew millions of 11 and 12-year-olds were using Instagram and “did little to keep them off”.

Meta disputed that figure, saying its records identified just over 100,000 users in that age group.

Paul Schmidt, a lead lawyer for Meta, challenged the states’ interpretation of the company’s research.

He highlighted one report which found that one in five teenagers said Instagram made them feel worse, but noted that 41 per cent said it made them feel better and another 41 per cent reported no effect.

Schmidt also argued that social media addiction has not been scientifically established and said Meta had introduced tools to help people manage their use of its services.

He said privacy laws had also limited Meta’s ability to collect and retain information that could have helped identify underage users.

The case could have major consequences for Meta if the states prevail.

The requested changes would affect features central to how millions of people use Instagram and Facebook, potentially reshaping the platforms for young users across the US.

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