Meta faces multistate lawsuit seeking up to $1.4 trillion
Meta (the company behind Instagram and Facebook) is going to court this week, facing a big lawsuit from several US states.
The main claim? That Meta's platforms were designed to keep children hooked, misled people about the risks, and collected data from minors without proper consent.
The states are pushing for up to $1.4 trillion in penalties and want Meta to change how its apps work.
Internal documents show Meta prioritized engagement
The case focuses on features like infinite scroll and the "like" button: things that allegedly made social media addictive for teens, disrupted their education and sleep, and, in the case of visual filters, promoted eating disorders and body dysmorphia.
Internal documents suggest Meta knew about these problems but prioritized keeping users engaged.
The litigation itself can substantially change what the public knows.