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Meta is facing an unprecedented legal battle as the company defends itself against a coalition of 29 state attorneys general in the U.S. The state AGs allege that the company intentionally designed addictive systems, despite knowing that those systems pose risks to users.
As reported by CNBC, Meta could be looking at the most significant penalties in its history if it loses this new trial. The lawsuit hinges on whether the company failed in its responsibilities to protect users from harm.
The court trial, which begins August 18 in California, stems from a federal complaint filed by a coalition of attorneys general in 2023. In that, the AGs alleged that Meta "designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment."
That federal case was largely based on the "Facebook Files" expose, published in The Wall Street Journal in 2021. That report focused on leaked internal documents shared by Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen, which showed that Meta's own internal research had repeatedly found that Facebook and Instagram were both harmful for various categories of susceptible people. The report alleged that Meta ignored this in order to prioritize company profits.
#company #Media #today #daily
Meta is facing an unprecedented legal battle as the company defends itself against a coalition of 29 state attorneys general in the U.S. The state AGs allege that the company intentionally designed addictive systems, despite knowing that those systems pose risks to users.
As reported by CNBC, Meta could be looking at the most significant penalties in its history if it loses this new trial. The lawsuit hinges on whether the company failed in its responsibilities to protect users from harm.
The court trial, which begins August 18 in California, stems from a federal complaint filed by a coalition of attorneys general in 2023. In that, the AGs alleged that Meta "designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment."
That federal case was largely based on the "Facebook Files" expose, published in The Wall Street Journal in 2021. That report focused on leaked internal documents shared by Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen, which showed that Meta's own internal research had repeatedly found that Facebook and Instagram were both harmful for various categories of susceptible people. The report alleged that Meta ignored this in order to prioritize company profits.
#company #Media #today #daily
1 month ago