Meta Faces $1.4 Trillion Lawsuit Over Child Safety Concerns on Facebook and Instagram

Among the thousands of legal claims Meta faces over child safety across its platforms, none may prove more consequential than one going to trial in California this week. US states are seeking sweeping operational changes to Facebook and Instagram, along with extensive financial damages that could, in theory, total as much as $1.4 trillion. The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of contributing to a youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features to hook children on its platforms. It also alleges Meta systematically gathers data on children under 13 without parental consent, breaching federal law. [...] During jury selection last week, prospective jurors were asked whether and how much they believe Meta has contributed to the youth mental health crisis. While many agreed that it did, they also put responsibility on parents, and said things like climate change and the state of the world are also causing children's and teenagers' mental health issues.