A jury trial is set to begin in the US today as 30 states including New York and California sue Meta, seeking more than $1trillion in a case that could force fundamental changes to social media.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has already lost consecutive court cases over how its platforms have targeted and harmed young users.
Now, the biggest trial yet is set to begin, stemming from a lawsuit filed but dozens of states demanding not only upwards of $1trillion but that Meta make changes to its social media platforms including ending "like" counts and infinite scroll, the BBC reports.
They want Meta to:
- implement a process of parental verification for teenage users
- change its "dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms"
- remove many image filters that change one's appearance in photos
- end autoplay of video content
- prohibit the creation of multiple accounts
- end disappearing or "ephemeral" posts, such as Instagram Stories
The states claim these features are designed to keep users, including teenagers and children, on social media for as often as possible and for as long as possible.
Meta has consistently denied such claims.
A statement said: "We strongly disagree with these allegations and are confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people."
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