Meta faces landmark youth-safety trial

A federal trial in Oakland, California centers on allegations by 29 US states that Meta designed Facebook and Instagram in ways that particularly engage young users while hiding associated risks. The proceedings are led by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and focus on how the company’s core business model operates for children and teenagers.

Prosecutors characterize Meta’s approach with the phrase “hook, hold, harvest, hide,” arguing that platform features are intended to capture attention, keep users engaged, harvest their data and conceal potential harms. The states are asking the court to order changes to Meta’s products, targeting design choices they say contribute to negative outcomes for minors.

The case is before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers and includes an advisory jury that will provide input into the judge’s ultimate decision. The trial structure means jurors will hear evidence on both product design and the company’s internal handling of youth-safety concerns before issuing their advisory findings.

The states estimate that damages in the case could reach up to $200 billion, reflecting what they say is the scale of harms tied to the platforms’ use by young people. Beyond monetary penalties, they are seeking court-ordered changes to features they argue encourage excessive engagement by minors.

Meta has disputed the allegations and has highlighted its defenses and safety efforts aimed at young users. At the same time, the company has cautioned that, depending on how statutory penalties are calculated, cumulative assessments could total as much as $1.4 trillion.

The wide range between the states’ damage estimate and Meta’s warning on potential statutory exposure underscores the uncertainty around the company’s ultimate financial risk. Any ruling that mandates design changes could also affect how Facebook and Instagram function for younger users going forward.

A key early witness in the trial has been Arturo Béjar, a former Meta safety engineer. He testified that he had briefed Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg more than 100 times, providing the court with insight into how concerns about user safety were raised inside the company.

Béjar described Meta’s approach to child safety as a “don’t ask, don’t tell” strategy, a characterization prosecutors are using to argue that leadership failed to adequately confront potential risks to younger users. His testimony is expected to frame later questioning of current executives.

Meta denies that it disregarded youth safety and points to its existing safeguards and enforcement efforts on Facebook and Instagram. The clash between Béjar’s account and the company’s defense is central to the trial’s examination of what Meta’s leaders knew and how they responded.

As the proceedings continue, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are among the executives expected to testify. Their appearances are likely to focus on their knowledge of youth-safety issues and the rationale behind key product and policy decisions.

The outcome of the trial will depend on how the judge, informed by the advisory jury, weighs evidence on Meta’s design choices, internal communications and safety programs. The case could shape future standards for how large social media platforms address risks to young users.