Meta Faces Major Legal Battle Over Minor Safety and Platform Addiction
2 sources across 2 countries · Argentina · France
Who reported this
- elDiarioAR
- Next.ink
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Meta is currently facing a significant federal trial in California brought by 29 state attorneys general, including California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey. The prosecutors allege that the company designed Instagram and Facebook with features that foster addiction in children and adolescents. The legal action includes claims that Meta violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by illegally collecting data from children under 13, as well as violations of consumer protection laws. Potential financial penalties could reach 1.4 trillion dollars according to projections cited by Fox.
During the proceedings, Arturo Bejar, a former Meta engineer and product safety specialist, testified that Mark Zuckerberg lied regarding the company's efforts to protect minors. Bejar claimed he discussed product safety with Zuckerberg over a hundred times and asserted that the company prioritizes user engagement and profit over the safety of young users. He specifically contested Zuckerberg's October 2021 claims that Meta was constantly researching ways to secure its products.
Meta has denied all accusations, calling them unfounded. A company spokesperson stated that prosecutors have failed to provide evidence of deception and argued that the company is being penalized for industry wide challenges such as age verification. Meta's legal counsel noted that the company has developed tools to address social media difficulties and prohibits users under 13 from creating accounts.
This trial is part of a larger multidistrict litigation involving over 3,000 plaintiffs against several tech giants, including Google, TikTok, and Snap. Meta has faced previous legal setbacks, including a recent order in New Mexico to pay 567 million dollars toward a youth mental health fund and a separate negligence settlement in Los Angeles.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The center left outlet framed the event as a systemic exploitation of vulnerable residents for corporate profit and emphasized the broader legal and financial stakes.
- Centre
- The center lean outlet focused on the specific testimony of a whistleblower and the contradiction of Mark Zuckerberg's public statements.
Sources
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