28 States Begin Trial Against Meta Over Teen Mental Health Harm

A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general opened a landmark federal trial against Meta Platforms in Oakland, California, alleging the company intentionally engineered addictive features into Instagram and Facebook. The lawsuit, part of a massive multidistrict litigation, claims Meta misled the public regarding the psychological impacts of its platforms on minors, contributing to rising youth mental health crises. Prosecutors argue internal documents show executives understood the risks of compulsive use but prioritized profit. Meta has denied the allegations, arguing features are designed for engagement rather than addiction and that internal communications have been taken out of context. The proceedings, expected to last several weeks, could result in substantial financial penalties and court-ordered platform safety changes that may reshape social media architecture for young users. Concurrently, separate antitrust settlements are returning restitution to consumers, highlighting broad regulatory escalation against major technology firms.