Tennessee's attorneys told a Nashville jury that Meta ignored its own internal research showing harm to teenagers, as a seven-week trial against the owner of Instagram and Facebook began.
Key facts
- The trial between Meta and the state of Tennessee began Monday in state court in Nashville.
- Tennessee's lawyers argued Meta disregarded internal research about its platforms' impact on teens.
- The state said Meta researchers repeatedly flagged compulsive teen use linked to eating disorders, depression and self-harm.
- Meta's attorneys pointed to transparency in their opening statements.
- The trial is expected to last seven weeks.
The long-awaited trial between the social media company Meta and the state of Tennessee began on Monday, with opening statements delivered before a jury in Nashville, according to the Guardian.
Attorneys for Tennessee told the jury that Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, disregarded internal research about its platform’s impact on teenagers while the company sought to maximize profit from those young users.
During opening statements in the seven-week trial in state court, the state’s lawyers said Meta researchers repeatedly flagged teenagers’ compulsive use of the platform, which they linked to eating disorders, depression and self-harm.
Despite those warnings, the state’s lawyers said, Meta did not disable features such as autoplay, notifications and infinite scroll. According to Tennessee’s attorneys, those features were designed to keep teens on Instagram as long as possible and increase the number of ads they viewed.
For its part, Meta’s attorneys pointed to transparency during their opening statements, the Guardian reported. Further details of the company’s defense were not included in the source.
The proceedings mark the opening of a lengthy legal fight over how the platform’s design affects young users, with the case set to continue over the coming weeks.
Why it matters
The trial puts a spotlight on how major social media platforms design features that affect young users and whether companies acted on their own warnings about potential harm. The outcome could shape how states pursue accountability for the mental health effects of social media on teenagers.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tennessee accusing Meta of?
Tennessee's attorneys told the jury that Meta disregarded its own internal research about the harmful impact of its platforms on teenagers while seeking to maximize profit from young users.
Which features did the state highlight?
The state's lawyers pointed to autoplay, notifications and infinite scroll, which they said were designed to keep teens on Instagram as long as possible and increase ad views.
How long is the trial expected to last?
According to the Guardian, the trial in state court in Nashville is expected to last seven weeks.