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Meta faces trial allegations tied to harm and child safety on Facebook, Instagram
The trial, in federal court in Oakland, centers on claims the platforms were designed to maximize engagement and improperly collect data from children under 13.
A former Meta Platforms engineering director testified that CEO Mark Zuckerberg was closely involved in decision-making and that the company’s top-down culture may have contributed to Meta failing to prioritize child safety on Facebook and Instagram, according to testimony in a landmark trial involving state attorneys general.
Insurance Journal reports the case is brought by a coalition of states including California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, which accuse Meta of designing its platforms to hook young users and allegedly fueling mental health harms such as anxiety, depression and suicide, while also misleading consumers about the platforms’ safety.
The states and 25 others further accuse Meta of violating federal law by improperly collecting and using personal data from children under 13. Meta has denied the allegations and argued that the witness’s views are beyond the scope of his work.
Insurance Implications featured in the coverage notes that insurers are monitoring the litigation not only to assess potential coverage, but also to understand liability exposures for the technology sector, including how the plaintiffs characterize deliberate conduct and public nuisance claims alongside the alleged mental health harms.