A landmark trial against Meta opened this week, with California and 28 other states accusing the social media giant of building addictive platforms and breaking laws protecting children's privacy.
Key facts
- The trial opened on Tuesday.
- California and 28 other states are prosecuting Meta.
- Meta is accused of designing addictive sites and violating children's privacy laws.
- A prosecuting lawyer summarised Meta's strategy as 'hook, hold, harvest, hide.'
- Meta owns Facebook and Instagram.
A landmark trial against Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, opened on Tuesday, with California and 28 other states accusing the company of designing addictive platforms and violating laws intended to protect children’s privacy, according to the Guardian.
A lawyer prosecuting the case distilled Meta’s business model into four words that begin with the letter H: hook, hold, harvest and hide. She argued that the company “hooks” in users, “holds” them on its platforms for as long as possible, “harvests” their data and then “hides” the truth from the public.
The case describes Meta as the world’s largest social media company and centres on claims that its design choices are aimed at maximising the time users spend on its services. The states argue that this approach comes at the expense of protections meant to safeguard young people.
The allegations combine two strands: that Meta’s platforms are deliberately addictive, and that the company has violated laws protecting children’s privacy. The Guardian reported that these arguments were laid out during the opening week of the trial.
The proceedings represent a significant legal challenge to Meta, bringing together a broad coalition of states in a single action. The outcome could shape how large social media companies design their products and handle user data going forward.
Why it matters
The trial pits a coalition of US states against the world's largest social media company over how its platforms are designed and how they handle children's data. The result could influence future rules on addictive design and privacy protections that affect millions of users.
Frequently asked questions
Who is suing Meta in this trial?
California and 28 other states are prosecuting Meta, according to the Guardian.
What is Meta accused of?
The states accuse Meta of designing addictive sites and violating laws protecting children's privacy.
What does 'hook, hold, harvest, hide' mean?
A prosecuting lawyer used these four words to describe Meta's alleged strategy: hooking in users, holding them on its platforms as long as possible, harvesting their data and hiding the truth from the public.